Bushfires are an integral part of the Australian environment. While the immediate health impacts of these fires can be devastatingly obvious, there are many other serious aspects of bushfires that remain less well understood. A holistic perspective of bushfires is essential for minimising harm and ensuring public safety in an environment that is becoming increasingly conducive to major bushfire catastrophes. This review summarises the current evidence about the immediate health risks of bushfires and the special health needs of survivors. It also looks at the health risks of smoke haze and other environmental hazards associated with bushfires.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	Bushfires, human health, environment
Research Division:	Health Sciences
Research Group:	Epidemiology
Research Field:	Environmental epidemiology
Objective Division:	Health
Objective Group:	Public health (excl. specific population health)
Objective Field:	Public health (excl. specific population health) not elsewhere classified
UTAS Author:	Johnston, F (Professor Fay Johnston)
ID Code:	58540
Year Published:	2009
Web of Science® Times Cited:	23
Deposited By:	Menzies Institute for Medical Research
Deposited On:	2009-10-13
Last Modified:	2010-04-15
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