As firefighters continue to battle the 100-plus bushfires in NSW’s Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury regions, a layer of thick smoke has descended on Sydney.

While smoke from the fires have affected rural NSW and Sydney for a while now, on Thursday afternoon the smoke appeared to be an ominous amber colour.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, the smoke “will improve overnight but will persist Friday, especially in the west,” with conditions set to get better over the weekend.

All of the Greater Sydney Region, as well as the majority of eastern NSW is currently under a total fire ban. According to information from the NSW Rural Fire Service, several areas have been given ‘high’, ‘very high’ and ‘severe’ fire danger ratings.

Emily Smith lost everything in NSW bushfires. Post continues below.

Twitter has been flooded with users sharing video and photo footage of the eerie haze, with some residents also reporting sights of falling ash and charcoal leaves.

One Twitter user described the smoke as looking “apocalyptic”, with another saying “everything looks like hell”.

These 11 photos show the scale of the air pollution.

Very eery down at La Perouse right now, ash falling from the sky too. Feel for everyone caught up in these terrible fires #sydneysmoke pic.twitter.com/u9FNHT46kx

— Back to Back Ben (@benos95) December 5, 2019

Today’s #sydneysmoke in the Cbd pic.twitter.com/xdguHYqaFu

— Fabian Pineda (@Fabianpp) December 5, 2019

Paddington at 3.45pm – no filters. Surreal light and colour outside. #sydneysmoke #bushfiresNSW pic.twitter.com/qITHwqupiY

— Dave Swims (@sanderling68) December 5, 2019

The end of the World continues at the end of the World #sydneysmoke #NSWfires #NSWbushfires pic.twitter.com/aipQbQsiHS

— Hervé Sauquet (@hsauquet_rbgsyd) December 5, 2019

The sky is orange and everything looks like hell… We’re sleep walking into a climate catastrophe. Why aren’t we on the streets demanding the govt does something…? #sydneysmoke #bushfiresNSW pic.twitter.com/uFPJtX8EuJ

— G i G i (@gacd86) December 5, 2019

Sydney skyline two hours ago compared with now. #NSWfires pic.twitter.com/NwzfNda7Ow

— Rebecca Holland (@rebeccaholland) December 5, 2019

My heart is breaking #sydneysmoke #AustralianFires how is this real pic.twitter.com/QiwchZOLEW

— sarah ???? (@sazgee_) December 5, 2019

rip to my lungs #NSWfires #sydneysmoke pic.twitter.com/sa1hg0gzCL

— katie loves remus (@curlyremus) December 5, 2019

starting to forget what clean air smells like #sydneysmoke pic.twitter.com/YotVsnVT4X

— anna-k lengkeek (@annnakiersten) December 5, 2019

went outside and was completely surrounded by murky yellow haze. looked up at the sky and saw this ???? #sydneysmoke pic.twitter.com/3eqvYE9cU0

— ???????????????? | renew awae (@rnalfoy) December 5, 2019

#SydneySmoke???????????????????? pic.twitter.com/Etid98Zw7c

— PAPA DAN (@papadan971LS) December 5, 2019

Image: Twitter @gacd86 and @Fabianpp.