Living in NSW and choking on bushfire smoke? N95 (also known as P2) face masks are probably the only face masks that will filter out most of the toxic stuff in the air. Anything else, including those cheap dust masks you can buy for 10 cents at Bunnings or other unrated surgical masks, is just as bad as not wearing anything at all…like smoking a pack of ciggies a day, not good for those with asthma and other respiratory conditions.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2019-12-03/face-masks-for…
Under a buck for an N95 rated mask is very cheap.
I just went to Bunnings and bought two 3M P2/N95 paper masks for $15, and their no-name bulk pack of 30 P2 masks was approximately $29 for 20 masks.
Great price for N95 masks - can't comment on quality of the Surgical Basics ones