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Potential health impacts to residents from smoke exposure during bushfires
Forest Ecology and Management 234S (2006) S148
Abstract
Potential health impacts to residents from smoke exposure during bushfires Fabienne Reisen a, Raphae¨le Blanchi b, Amalie Tibbits c a
CSIRO-MAR, Bushfire CRC, Aspendale, Vic. 3195, Australia b CSIRO-SE, Bushfire CRC, Highett, Vic. 3190, Australia c RMIT University, Bushfire CRC, Melbourne, Vic. 3001, Australia
Keywords: Community; Safety; Human behaviour; Assets; Smoke; Health
Bushfire is an inevitable part of living at the rural/urban interface. The response to bushfire advocated by Australian Fire Authorities is to either prepare, stay and defend your property, or leave well in advance of the fire, coined the ‘stay and defend or leave early’ policy. This paper compares the potential health impacts as a consequence of exposure to smoke, to residents who stay and defend against those who leave early. Consequences on people and property protection: All Australian state and territory fire agencies have endorsed prepare, stay and defend or leave early in the ‘‘Position paper on Community Safety and Evacuation during bushfires’’ (AFAC, 2005). The paper suggests that a house well prepared can act as a safe shelter for people during the passage of a fire front and able residents should be able to suppress small ignition on the house or around the house before these ignitions became uncontrollable. Previous researches have shown that active defense of houses by residents significantly increases the chance of house survival. The presence of occupants or brigade members has a significant influence on house loss (Ramsey, Mac Arthur,1986). Health impacts: In order to determine the impact on community health, it is critical to evaluate the extent of the hazard posed by bushfire
DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2006.08.195 E-mail addresses: [email protected] (F. Reisen), [email protected] (R. Blanchi), [email protected] (A. Tibbits).
smoke and the vulnerability of the community. This impact will depend on what hazardous pollutants the communities are exposed to, the levels of exposures to these pollutants, and whether adverse health effects are likely to occur for the populations exposed. The risk that people incur while in a bushfire will vary for various population groups, the susceptible ones (asthmatics, children, elderly, people with pre-existing respiratory or cardiac illnesses) being at higher risk; for the different ways in which people will react to bushfires, low exposures for those who leave early to high exposure risks for those that stay and defend. While staying will increase the chance of saving your house, it presents health and safety issues for the occupant. Exposure to air toxics in bushfire smoke can be reduced by wearing a respirator or staying indoors and using an air cleaner. On the other hand leaving your property will increase the risk of house loss, but decrease to some extent your exposure to bushfire smoke.
Abstract
Potential health impacts to residents from smoke exposure during bushfires Fabienne Reisen a, Raphae¨le Blanchi b, Amalie Tibbits c a
CSIRO-MAR, Bushfire CRC, Aspendale, Vic. 3195, Australia b CSIRO-SE, Bushfire CRC, Highett, Vic. 3190, Australia c RMIT University, Bushfire CRC, Melbourne, Vic. 3001, Australia
Keywords: Community; Safety; Human behaviour; Assets; Smoke; Health
Bushfire is an inevitable part of living at the rural/urban interface. The response to bushfire advocated by Australian Fire Authorities is to either prepare, stay and defend your property, or leave well in advance of the fire, coined the ‘stay and defend or leave early’ policy. This paper compares the potential health impacts as a consequence of exposure to smoke, to residents who stay and defend against those who leave early. Consequences on people and property protection: All Australian state and territory fire agencies have endorsed prepare, stay and defend or leave early in the ‘‘Position paper on Community Safety and Evacuation during bushfires’’ (AFAC, 2005). The paper suggests that a house well prepared can act as a safe shelter for people during the passage of a fire front and able residents should be able to suppress small ignition on the house or around the house before these ignitions became uncontrollable. Previous researches have shown that active defense of houses by residents significantly increases the chance of house survival. The presence of occupants or brigade members has a significant influence on house loss (Ramsey, Mac Arthur,1986). Health impacts: In order to determine the impact on community health, it is critical to evaluate the extent of the hazard posed by bushfire
DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2006.08.195 E-mail addresses: [email protected] (F. Reisen), [email protected] (R. Blanchi), [email protected] (A. Tibbits).
smoke and the vulnerability of the community. This impact will depend on what hazardous pollutants the communities are exposed to, the levels of exposures to these pollutants, and whether adverse health effects are likely to occur for the populations exposed. The risk that people incur while in a bushfire will vary for various population groups, the susceptible ones (asthmatics, children, elderly, people with pre-existing respiratory or cardiac illnesses) being at higher risk; for the different ways in which people will react to bushfires, low exposures for those who leave early to high exposure risks for those that stay and defend. While staying will increase the chance of saving your house, it presents health and safety issues for the occupant. Exposure to air toxics in bushfire smoke can be reduced by wearing a respirator or staying indoors and using an air cleaner. On the other hand leaving your property will increase the risk of house loss, but decrease to some extent your exposure to bushfire smoke.