The department which oversees Australia's response to disasters and emergencies has temporarily closed its Canberra headquarters as the capital continues to be blanketed by smoke from surrounding bushfires.

Key points: Fires are still burning to the east, west and south of the ACT

Fires are still burning to the east, west and south of the ACT Thick smoke is blanketing the capital, causing some workplaces to dismiss staff

Thick smoke is blanketing the capital, causing some workplaces to dismiss staff Several national institutions and universities have also closed due to the hazardous air quality

While many public service staff are returning to offices following the Christmas shutdown period, the hazardous air quality has seen the Department of Home Affairs and Australian Border Force (ABF) advise their staff to stay home today.

The Department of Home Affairs sent an email to ACT-based staff on Sunday night, instructing them to stay away from their offices for the next 48 hours — although "critical and operational frontline personnel" will continue to work from alternative locations.

The department's acting deputy secretary Pablo Carpay said that "air quality issues" had forced the move.

"The department continues to monitor air quality across all its sites in Canberra in the event business continuity arrangements need to be extended," Mr Carpay said in the email, which was obtained by the ABC.

"We are also looking into procuring air purifiers for key sites."

The smoke is coming from fires surrounding the ACT. ( AAP: Lukas Coch )

The acting deputy secretary also revealed the department and ABF had been able to "acquire a limited supply of face masks" which would be "provided to operational staff most exposed to smoke conditions".

"The department is investigating options for procuring further face masks, however, there are supply and demand issues given the national situation."

In a statement to the ABC, a spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs confirmed that "staff who perform non-essential roles have been advised to not attend their usual place of work during this period, returning to regular duties on the morning of Wednesday, January 8, 2020, unless otherwise advised.

"Essential services, such as emergency management, will continue to operate.

"The department and ABF are taking all measures to minimise disruptions to services at this time. ABF operational activities will not be affected.

"We extend our apologies to members of the Australian public who may be affected. Just as Australians are looking out for their own safety and that of their families during this time, so too must we priorities the health and well-being of our staff."

National institutions, school holiday programs close

Mount Ainslie, which sits directly behind the Australian War Memorial, was completely obscured by the smoke. ( ABC News: Jordan Hayne )

Despite being more than 60 kilometres from the nearest active fire front, Canberra has consistently woken to orange skies and some of the worst air quality in the world.

The smoke has had an increasingly wide-ranging impact — Department of Health staff have been relocated to buildings in Woden, after poor air quality forced the closure of their Symonston office.

"The air quality at our Symonston premises in Canberra is currently generating poorer readings than our other sites, because of the location, age and design of the building," a statement obtained by the ABC said.

"Decisions about longer-term work arrangements will depend on how the situation evolves."

For remaining ACT public servants, a spokesperson for Chief Minister Andrew Barr said that Monday was "business as usual, depending on the circumstances in certain directorates".

"We are working with people with respiratory issues and other health issues to relocate or offer more flexible arrangements," the statement said.

Additionally, YWCA Canberra's school holiday programs are closed in the ACT and Murrumbateman today.

"Unfortunately, like many Canberra organisations, we have had to make the decision to close all YWCA Canberra children's services in the ACT and Murrumbateman … due to the hazardous smoke conditions," it said.

"This is to ensure the health and wellbeing of our staff and the children in our services. Their safety must always be our top priority. We will continue monitoring the situation and will reopen as soon as it is safe to do so."

Several national institutions including the National Gallery and Questacon announced they would be closed until further notice.

"As the heavy smoke continues in the Canberra area, the National Gallery of Australia will be closed Monday 6 January," according to a post on the National Gallery's Facebook page.

"Closing our doors allows us to mitigate any risk to the public, staff and works of art on display."

The Australian National University and the University of Canberra both closed their campuses, citing hazardous air concerns. The Brumbies Rugby Union team, who train at the University of Canberra, have temporarily relocated to Newcastle. The Canberra Raiders are also moving their training base temporarily to the Sunshine Coast.

Some outdoor pool and recreation facilities have also closed their doors, including Dickson Aquatic Centre, which has cancelled swimming lessons for the entire week due to "ongoing uncertainty about air quality".

The ACT remains in a state of alert due to heightened bushfire risk; ACT fire crews responded to a blaze in the Namadgi National Park in Canberra's south this morning, which the ESA says is "small and controllable under current weather conditions".

The fire, at Hospital Hill, was spotted from the air. It currently poses no threat to homes.



Flights cancelled and spot fires on Sunday

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 24 seconds 24 s Smoke blankets a Canberra street.

On Sunday afternoon, all Qantas flights to and from Canberra Airport were cancelled because of the smoke. As of Monday morning, flights have resumed.

Spot fires from the Adaminaby Complex fire were burning a short distance from the southern tip of the territory, however, even if they cross the border they remain 25 kilometres from the nearest ACT property, according to the Emergency Services Agency (ESA).

The smoke rolled in to Canberra over the weekend after a horror bushfire Saturday, which saw 13 emergency blazes flare up at the same time to the ACT's south, east and west.

Of those fires, most have been downgraded to watch and act status.

However, one emergency fire, which ignited ahead of the massive Currowan fire, continues to threaten townships near Bundanoon.

The ESA said the ominous orange glow the descended over Canberra was due to sunlight coming through heavy smoke particles.

On New Year's Day, Canberra experienced its worst air pollution on record, a ranking of beating out some of the worst-ranked cities for air quality in the world.

The air quality index exceeded 4,400 in north Canberra on Sunday evening. A reading of 200 or more is considered hazardous.