Researchers from the Australian National University (ANU) are calling for a national health protection strategy to address the effects of bushfire smoke following the devastating summer of blazes.
Professor of Global Environmental Health at ANU, Professor Sotiris Vardoulakis said Australia needed a holistic approach to managing the risks of bushfires and smoke.
In a paper by published in the Medical Journal of Australia, Professor Vardoulakis warned that Australia couldn’t wait for the results of the Bushfires Royal Commission before acting on the health issue.
“We need to be better prepared for the next bushfire season which is not far away,” Professor Vardoulakis said.
“We can’t wait until the results of a royal commission are published – we should take action now and the last season highlighted the urgency.”
He said current health protection advice related to bushfire smoke focused on short-term measures and was “impractical” over longer periods of high air pollution levels such as those experienced over the summer.
“Telling people to stay indoors or reduce physical activities outdoors isn’t sufficient,” Professor Vardoulakis said.
“Smoke pollution levels vary over hours and days and can change quickly,” he said.
He said the public needed to receive hourly averaged particulate air pollution – PM2.5 data – reported in real-time.
“More nuanced advice would encourage individuals to be guided by location -specific air quality forecasts and the pattern of hourly PM2.5 concentrations at nearby air quality monitoring locations.”
“It would also mean people could better plan their daily activities in ways that minimise exposure to pollution.”
He said that more investment in air pollution research was urgently needed, particularly into the longer-term effects of smoke pollution.
Professor Vardoulakis’ paper can be accessed at this PS News link.
