What are the dangers of bushfire smoke?

Bushfires are an unfortunate part of summer in Australia. Bushfire smoke can be harmful to your health as it contains airborne particles and toxic gases such as:

• carbon dioxide
• carbon monoxide
• nitrogen oxides

Small particles in smoke can:

• give you a sore throat
• give you a runny nose
• cause you to cough
• affect your lungs
• make your asthma or other respiratory conditions worse

Even if you're not near a bushfire, the smoke from bushfires can spread great distances depending on the weather conditions.

Pregnant women and children under 14 years are at a higher risk from bushfire smoke.

You have a higher chance of being affected if you have a pre-existing health condition, such as

• asthma
• diabetes
• heart disease

Is bushfire smoke harmful during pregnancy?

Pregnant women may be more affected by the smoke because of the changes to their body, both physical and hormonal.

Short-term exposure to bushfire smoke can cause:

• breathing problems
• headaches
• irritation to your eyes, nose and throat

Long-term exposure to bushfire smoke can increase the chances of pregnancy complications, like:

• gestational diabetes
• high blood pressure
• preterm birth
• low birth weight

Is bushfire smoke harmful to children?

Young children and newborn babies can be especially affected because their airways and lungs are still developing. They also breathe faster than adults.

Bushfire smoke exposure in newborns and infants causes lung irritation, increasing the chances of coughing and respiratory infection. Infants and newborns who are exposed to bushfire smoke and have underlying health problems or were born preterm, have a higher chance of respiratory complications.

It's not known if long-term exposure to bushfire smoke increases the chance of SIDS. It is well known that smoking near your child and not having proper air circulation increases the chance of SIDS.

When should I see my doctor?

If you or your child is affected by bushfire smoke, speak to your doctor.

Can bushfire smoke affect people with asthma?

Pregnant women and children with asthma need to be especially careful since smoke is a serious health risk to them.

• Make sure your Asthma Action Plan is up to date if you have asthma.
• Always keep your asthma medication with you and make sure prescriptions are current.

What can I do to protect myself and my children?

There are many things you can do to limit your and your family's exposure to bushfire smoke:

• Limit outdoor activities, especially on visibly smoky days.
• Keep the windows and doors of your home shut.
• Don't use air conditioners that draw air from the outside.
• Use a portable air cleaner or purifier (with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter).
• Wear an appropriate face mask if you need to go outside.
• Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water.

You can also:

• keep the windows closed when in your car and set your air conditioner to recirculate (instead of drawing air from the outside)
• avoid air pollution inside the home, such as candles or cigarettes
• when the smoke clears, open your windows to allow fresh air into the house

If your children are home for school holidays, it can be hard to keep them entertained indoors for long periods of time.

If you do go out, try to pick air-conditioned venues like:

• shopping centres
• cinemas
• libraries

Watch this short video from NSW Health, with tips on how to avoid smoke.

Do face masks help?

Most face masks will not filter the fine particles of smoke so they will not protect you or your children from smoke.

The only types of face mask that do offer any protection are P2/N95 rated face masks. These can be purchased from hardware stores and must be properly fitted to be of any use. However, they are not designed for use by children.

Do air purifiers work?

Air purifiers that have a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter can reduce the smoke particles in your house.

It's important that indoor air purifiers are properly matched to the size of your room and that your room is well sealed.

Resources and support

Read more about bushfire health and safety on healthdirect.

Your state or territory fire service will keep you informed about local fire conditions, danger ratings and warnings:

• ACT — esa.act.gov.au/rural-fire-service
• New South Wales — rfs.nsw.gov.au
• Northern Territory — nt.gov.au/emergency/bushfire
• Queensland — fire.qld.gov.au
• South Australia — cfs.sa.gov.au
• Tasmania — fire.tas.gov.au
• Victoria – cfa.vic.gov.au
• Western Australia — dfes.wa.gov.au