Health burden associated with fire smoke in Sydney between 2001 and 2013, a health assessment 2018

An assessment of all-cause mortality and hospitalisations for cardiovascular and respiratory disease in Sydney between 2001 and 2013 quantified the population level health effects attributable to exposure to landscape fire events in Sydney. Verified dates for landscape fire events were located and background PM2.5 and health burden were estimated. Health Burden was estimated from death and hospitalisation incidence rates, daily PM2.5 exposure and risk estimates recommended by WHO. The results found that the health impacts of landscape fire smoke exposure during 2001-2013, was similar to a May 2016 incident every 12 months (14 premature deaths and 58 respiratory hospitalisations). Health risk estimates are likely conservative as they assumed short term, immediate impacts of increased PM2.5 but extended exposure is likely to have greater effects