Study into health impact of smoke from bushfires and planned burns
Scientists at Monash University are looking at areas of regional Victoria to study how smoke from bushfires and planned burns impact people’s health.
Lead researcher Dr Martine Dennekamp, from the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, said the upcoming planned burn season provided an opportunity to measure the health impact of smoke in the community.
“For the past three years we have been performing health assessments on people during smoke events and during times when there was no smoke present,” Dr Dennekamp said.
“We are now in the final year of our study and are calling for participants from the Warburton area in the Yarra Valley region to take part in the study that will start next week.”
Dr Dennekamp said the team were investigating small changes in people’s health that may occur as a result of smoke from burns.
“We are assessing healthy people and people with underlying illnesses for changes in symptoms, lung function and inflammation,” she said.
“The results will help public health managers know what sort of advice to give healthy people, older people, and people who might have chronic medical conditions.”
Dr Dennekamp said results from the three-year study were expected by the end of this year.
The study will be conducted by Monash University, University of Tasmania and CSIRO during the Autumn season in collaboration with the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning, the Bushfire and Natural Hazard Cooperative Research Centre and the Victorian Department of Health and the Environment Protection Authority.
The research is funded by the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning, through the Bushfire and Natural Hazard CRC.
Those wanting more information or to participate in the study should call 1800 200 262 or email bushfires@monash.edu.
The researchers will be at the Warburton Golf Club to do the first health assessments from Tuesday March 10 until Saturday 14 March.