Chimney Sweeps

[TriggerFish]

I started back riding to work today after about 3 weeks of holidays and laziness. To my surprise it was still a balmy 3 degrees (I was expecting colder).

The other thing that caught my eye....or more accurately my lungs was the amount of smoke from what I assume is home log fires. I know there is to be some controlled burning off today, but, it is not due to start until after 10am.

Does anyone know if people around Canberra just light up their fires for the first time each winter without cleaning them out and therefore the smoke is particularly bad? Or am I to expect this from now on? Felt like I was sucking on an exaust pipe from Kambah till I started heading around the lake and scrivener dam. The rest of the way it felt like whatever had made it down to my lungs was trying to escape!

Are there even any chimney sweeps in existence any more? Do they have cheesy pommy accents? Does anyone else share this sort of experience?

I imagine my ride home today will be similar because of the controlled burnoff......glad I am not asthmatic.