The fire at the Coolaroo recycling plant. Credit:Courtesy of Seven News Fierce blaze The fire broke out at the recycling factory on Thursday, and is the third at the site this year. The blaze is so fierce firefighters struggled to get close enough to extinguish it. More than 80 firefighters were continuing to battle the blaze early on Friday morning. It is expected to burn for several days. Thick acrid smoke with a strong chemical smell blanketed the area on Thursday afternoon. Streets were deserted with the smoke affecting visibility. The Melbourne Fire Brigade said the air quality was "hazardous".

Residents in surrounding suburbs Broadmeadows, Campbellfield, Dallas, Fawkner, Glenroy, Jacana and Westmeadows were put on a Watch and Act warning. Anyone in those suburbs was told to take shelter indoors, close all exterior doors, windows and vents and turn off heating and cooling systems. Police door-knock Dallas residents as part of the evacuation due to toxic smoke. Credit:Darrian Traynor Emergency services issued an evacuation warning for parts of Dallas at 8.11pm on Thursday after very poor air quality levels were detected by the Environment Protection Authority. Firefighters had earlier called the smoke "toxic". The areas evacuated included Barry Road between Dallas Drive and Doy Street, Washington Street between King Street and Doy Street, Edmund Street between King Street and Doy Street, Doy Street between Barry Road and Edmund Street and Dallas Drive to Sale Court, including Sale Court. Dallas residents Hassan and Helen Halwani and their four children pack their car to flee Dallas late Thursday night. Credit:Darrian Traynor

Air quality Incident controller Mark Swiney said continued exposure to the smoke could affect people's health. "We did atmospheric monitoring and in the area to the south of the fire we found that there were particulates in the air which are detrimental to people's long-term health," he said. Abdullah Utmo and his son, Ahmad, seven. Credit:Darrian Traynor

"The fumes contain particulates, it's not a chemical. They are not an immediate danger to health, they are more of an immediate long-term risk. The Environment Protection Authority's mobile monitoring stations in Coolaroo and Dallas indicated very high concentrations of particles in the air. Firefighters take a break battling a blaze at the recycling plant late on Thursday night. Credit:Darrian Traynor The fire was whipped up by strong winds of between 50 and 60km/h, with gusts of up to 75km/h, the Bureau of Meteorology said. Friday's conditions are expected to be similar, meaning fighting the fire won't be any easier. Melbourne is expected to receive two to five millimetres of rain on Friday.

Residents flee toxic fumes Dallas residents Hassan and Helen Halwani and their four children packed their car to flee late on Thursday night. Mr Halwani told Fairfax Media he was taking his family to a relative's home in Broadmeadows as he bundled blankets and pillows into the boot. Smoke from the Coolaroo fire was visible from the CBD on Thursday. Credit:Eddie Jim "Our biggest concern is the toxic fumes," he said. "We've got four little kids to think of so it's just not worth the risk." Ms Halwani said her children had started to feel unwell and the smell inside their home was getting worse.

Firefighters hose down flames at the plant. Credit:Darrian Traynor "The smell was becoming unbearable," she said. "The kids are ok though, they feel it is in an excursion because they get to stay with their cousins." Taseen Mollah returned to his Dallas home at 8pm on Thursday evening to see it blanketed in black smoke. He said the ground was covered in soot and he ran into the house with his hands covering his face. "I was finding it hard to even take a breath," he said. "My throat and chest were hurting."

His mum and little brother were inside a bedroom with the doors and windows closed because the smell of smoke had seeped into the house. "The smell was so bad, it was nauseating and (it) kept getting worse inside the house," he said. "We closed all the vents inside the house and we're getting our stuff ready to leave for when the police come to evacuate us." Mr Mollah said he and his two brothers and mother will go to stay with relatives nearby. "We just want to get out of here to be honest," he said.

Abdullah Utmo with his wife and four children aged seven to 22 chose to stay at home. "We could just see big, black smoke everywhere," he said. "We've never experienced anything like this." He said with all the windows and doors they had been able to sleep despite a minor smell in the house. Mr Utmo said the family had been living in the home since October last year, but recalled another similar fire where the sky was left black from thick smoke.

Before evacuating, Dallas resident Deyra Uysal said her daughter had been vomiting after playing outside earlier. "My daughter was vomiting this afternoon and we don't know if it is linked to the fire or not." Ms Uysal said it was the second time there had been a chemical fire near their neighbourhood in recent months. During the daylight hours, the family could see black smoke edging towards their home. Faraj Yo Shamo stayed in his Edmund Street house on Thursday night despite being an asthmatic. On Friday morning he went for a walk down his street to see the smoke.

"Last night, I didn't see police but I hear the news on the television," he said. "Very smokey, until morning, I leave now home and I smell the smoke because I have asthma. "It's very smokey but not like last night, it was very big. All the sky was smoke." Asthmatic Faraj Yo Shamo in Edmund St in Dallas. Credit:Justin McManus Mr Yo Shamo said the smoke had seeped through the windows into his home, and he had to use his ventilator (puffer) through the night.

"The windows were open and I have asthma, very bad, I straight away put my puffer [in my mouth]." Evacuated residents who could not stay elsewhere with family or friends were directed to the Broadmeadows Aquatic Leisure Centre. There, State Emergency Service and aquatic centre staff were arranging for accommodation, with Hume Council footing the bill. The EPA statement read: "The air quality in the warning area is hazardous as a result of smoke from the fire located in Maffra Street. EPA are currently conducting air monitoring throughout the affected area and have determined that the affected area have very poor air quality levels. EPA will continue to monitor air quality in the affected and neighbouring are," the statement reads.

People are advised to collect their medicines, pets and belongings and securely lock their houses before leaving. Residents who left of their own accord were advised to call 9205 2670 to register their details. How to prepare to evacuate: Act now - take immediate action to protect your health.

Collect together your medicines.

Take your pets with you when you evacuate.

Take your mobile phone and charger.If possible, make sure your neighbours are aware of the situation and check if they need help.

Close and lock doors and windows.

Turn off your heating and cooling systems.

Emergency services will shortly be door knocking the area to provide you with further information and support.

If you do not wish to wait leave now and contact 9205 2670 to register your details. Where to go:

Loading A relief centre is open at the Broadmeadows Aquatic Leisure Centre, 41-85 Tanderrum Way, Broadmeadows.

You can also go to friends or family in a safer location.

Turn on your vehicle headlights and drive slowly; smoke will make it difficult to see. With AAP