EDITORIAL

Environment

Bushfires: are we doing enough to reduce the human impact?

M Sim

Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Associate Prof. M Sim, Unit of Occupational and Environmental Health, Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Commercial Road, Prahran, Victoria 3181, Australia;
malcolm.sim@med.monash.edu.au

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Physical and psychological health effects in the community

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Keywords: bushfire; Australia; smoke; burn

The recent devastating bushfires near Sydney in Australia are a reminder of the potentially serious human health consequences of this type of environmental disaster. There is a considerable research literature documenting the effects of fighting bushfires, such as an increase in airway responsiveness among firefighters,¹ but less attention has been paid to the health effects, both physical and psychological, on the communities in the area of bushfires. Evidence is accumulating from studies related to a series of severe bushfires over the past 20 years throughout the southern parts of Australia and in several other countries.

Bushfire is not a new phenomenon and is part of the natural ecology. In many countries, such as Australia, bushfire has been a necessary part of the life cycle for several native trees and plants, some of which have characteristics which promote the spread of fire, such as loose, flammable bark, and combustible oils . . . [Full text of this article]

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