Bushfires and your health

Bushfires and your health

While most people know the dangers of bushfires, it may come as a surprise to find out that bushfires, and their smoke, can impact your heart and brain health.

Smoke in the air from bushfires, planned burns, and wood heaters is made up of tiny particles. You can’t see them individually, but when there are enough in the air you will see a haze. When you breathe these particles, they travel into your lungs. The particles are so tiny they can cross over from your lungs into your blood stream and circulate around your body. This can cause inflammation in your blood vessels, which in turn, can increase your chances of a heart health episode, like a stroke or heart attack. 

The Menzies Institute for Medical Research is offering a free, self-paced online course called ‘Bushfires and Your Health’.

Sign up now to find out how bushfires and bushfire smoke affect your health – and what you can do about it.