A “nightmare” in Victoria, Australia

It was great to find this site. I also live next door to neighbours who decided to put a wood fire in their holiday home even though they already had an efficient heater. I am on the high side of the street, and their chimney is at my eye level about 15 feet off my verandah, living room and bedroom and given I am on their west side and we have mostly westerly winds here I cop all of the smoke for days blowing directly under my verandah and all around my house. It causes many problems for me, my health in particular as I have heart and lung weaknesses.

I also have my washing line on my verandah and of course I have to take it all in as soon as THEY decide to light their fire. They are here at least three days every week and it is a nightmare. They just don’t care and when I have tried to do something about it with the council, the neighbours only find other things to annoy me with. The Council are looking into it but they say the neighbours have not broken any rules.

It is outrageous that there are no rules to protect neighbours from someone else’s smoke. Perhaps there should be a petition to force the councils to take steps to protect residents from toxic, carcinogenic smoke.