Policy Implications for Protecting Health from the Hazards of Fire Smoke. A Panel Discussion Report from the Workshop Landscape Fire Smoke: Protecting Health in an Era of Escalating Fire Risk

Christine T Cowie; Amanda J Wheeler; Joy S Tripovich; Ana Porta-Cubas; Martine Dennekamp; Sotiris Vardoulakis; Michele Goldman; Melissa Sweet; Penny Howard; Fay Johnston

doi:10.3390/ijerph18115702

Policy Implications for Protecting Health from the Hazards of Fire Smoke. A Panel Discussion Report from the Workshop Landscape Fire Smoke: Protecting Health in an Era of Escalating Fire Risk

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 May 26;18(11):5702. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18115702.

Authors

Christine T Cowie^{1

2

3

4}, Amanda J Wheeler^{1

5}, Joy S Tripovich^{1

2

4}, Ana Porta-Cubas^{1

4}, Martine Dennekamp^{1

6}, Sotiris Vardoulakis⁷, Michele Goldman⁸, Melissa Sweet⁹, Penny Howard^{10

11}, Fay Johnston^{1

12}

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Air Pollution, Energy and Health Research (CAR), Liverpool 2170, Australia.
² South West Sydney Clinical School, The University of New South Wales, Liverpool 2170, Australia.
³ Ingham Institute of Applied Medical Research, Liverpool 2170, Australia.
⁴ Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Glebe 2031, Australia.
⁵ Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne 3000, Australia.
⁶ Environmental Public Health, Environment Protection Authority Victoria, Melbourne 3004, Australia.
⁷ National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra 2601, Australia.
⁸ Asthma Australia, Chatswood 2067, Australia.
⁹ Croakey Health Media, Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia.
¹⁰ Maritime Union of Australia, West Melbourne 3003, Australia.
¹¹ Anthropology Department, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia.
¹² Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart 7000, Australia.

Abstract

Globally, and nationally in Australia, bushfires are expected to increase in frequency and intensity due to climate change. To date, protection of human health from fire smoke has largely relied on individual-level actions. Recent bushfires experienced during the Australian summer of 2019-2020 occurred over a prolonged period and encompassed far larger geographical areas than previously experienced, resulting in extreme levels of smoke for extended periods of time. This particular bushfire season resulted in highly challenging conditions, where many people were unable to protect themselves from smoke exposures. The Centre for Air pollution, energy and health Research (CAR), an Australian research centre, hosted a two-day symposium, Landscape Fire Smoke: Protecting health in an era of escalating fire risk, on 8 and 9 October 2020. One component of the symposium was a dedicated panel discussion where invited experts were asked to examine alternative policy settings for protecting health from fire smoke hazards with specific reference to interventions to minimise exposure, protection of outdoor workers, and current systems for communicating health risk. This paper documents the proceedings of the expert panel and participant discussion held during the workshop.

Keywords: PM; air pollution; bushfires; communication; exposure; health risk; landscape fires; policy; protection; smoke.

Publication types

Congress
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants* / analysis
Air Pollution* / analysis
Australia
Fires* / prevention & control
Humans
Policy
Smoke / adverse effects
Smoke / analysis

Substances

Air Pollutants
Smoke