❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses the potential health impacts of prescribed burns, referencing a study in The Lancet and seeking information on heart and lung disease related to CALM burn offs. The Minister's response acknowledges some impact but emphasizes mitigation strategies and the importance of prescribed burns for wildfire prevention.
AnsweredQoN 749Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Is the Minister aware of a study in
The Lancet
which indicates that the pollution from burn offs may kill more people each year than the lives they save from bush fires?
(2) Has the Minister any information regarding the likely toll of heart and lung disease produced by the air pollution from CALM burn offs?
(3) If not, will the Minister obtain independent expert advice on the health effect so that CALM’s burn off policy can be modified to ensure its safety?
The Lancet
which indicates that the pollution from burn offs may kill more people each year than the lives they save from bush fires?
(2) Has the Minister any information regarding the likely toll of heart and lung disease produced by the air pollution from CALM burn offs?
(3) If not, will the Minister obtain independent expert advice on the health effect so that CALM’s burn off policy can be modified to ensure its safety?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
18 March 2003
Responded by
Minister for the Environment and Heritage
Response time
21 days
The study found that there was some increase in asthma presentations during these episodes of high concentrations of bushfire smoke. This contrasts with the results of similar studies during the Christmas 2001 fires around Sydney involving major hospitals in the city. These reported relatively few people came into emergency departments with respiratory problems over the full duration of these severe bushfire smoke events. The study indicated that the relatively few asthma attacks attributed to smoke was partly due to the extensive publicity campaign in the lead up to the summer, and the fact that smoke is a much less persuasive trigger than other allergens. It would be appreciated if the Member could provide the article from The Lancet if it exists. (2) and (3) The incidence of exceedences of the PM10 target in the Perth area as a result of smoke from prescribed burning operations conducted by the Department of Conservation and Land Management is very low. Department of Environmental Protection data for the 8 year period since November 1994 reveal that there were only 3 days when smoke from prescribed burns exceeded the national PM10 target. These data show that the target has been exceeded on several occasions in mid-summer due to wildfires, and in winter due to domestic wood stoves. To help overcome smoke impact from prescribed fires, the Department of Conservation and Land Management in consultation with the Bureau of Meteorology and the Department of Environmental Protection has applied a decision support system that assists in forecasting the direction in which smoke travels and the way it impacts on major residential areas. The application of this decision support model has helped reduce the incidence of smoke impacting on residential areas in south-west WA. Fuel reduction burning is an important part of the overall strategy for minimising the damage that wildfires can inflict on townships, forest communities and urban-rural interface areas. Without these prescribed burns the incidence of fire losses and serious smoke haze from intense summer wildfires will inevitably increase. The Government is therefore committed to maintaining an adequate level of prescribed burning to meet both community protection and biodiversity conservation objectives. A system of smoke alerts has been implemented when a risk of smoke from prescribed burning occurs.
This contrasts with the results of similar studies during the Christmas 2001 fires around Sydney involving major hospitals in the city. These reported relatively few people came into emergency departments with respiratory problems over the full duration of these severe bushfire smoke events. The study indicated that the relatively few asthma attacks attributed to smoke was partly due to the extensive publicity campaign in the lead up to the summer, and the fact that smoke is a much less persuasive trigger than other allergens. It would be appreciated if the Member could provide the article from The Lancet if it exists. (2) and (3) The incidence of exceedences of the PM10 target in the Perth area as a result of smoke from prescribed burning operations conducted by the Department of Conservation and Land Management is very low. Department of Environmental Protection data for the 8 year period since November 1994 reveal that there were only 3 days when smoke from prescribed burns exceeded the national PM10 target. These data show that the target has been exceeded on several occasions in mid-summer due to wildfires, and in winter due to domestic wood stoves. To help overcome smoke impact from prescribed fires, the Department of Conservation and Land Management in consultation with the Bureau of Meteorology and the Department of Environmental Protection has applied a decision support system that assists in forecasting the direction in which smoke travels and the way it impacts on major residential areas. The application of this decision support model has helped reduce the incidence of smoke impacting on residential areas in south-west WA. Fuel reduction burning is an important part of the overall strategy for minimising the damage that wildfires can inflict on townships, forest communities and urban-rural interface areas. Without these prescribed burns the incidence of fire losses and serious smoke haze from intense summer wildfires will inevitably increase. The Government is therefore committed to maintaining an adequate level of prescribed burning to meet both community protection and biodiversity conservation objectives. A system of smoke alerts has been implemented when a risk of smoke from prescribed burning occurs.
It would be appreciated if the Member could provide the article from The Lancet if it exists. (2) and (3) The incidence of exceedences of the PM10 target in the Perth area as a result of smoke from prescribed burning operations conducted by the Department of Conservation and Land Management is very low. Department of Environmental Protection data for the 8 year period since November 1994 reveal that there were only 3 days when smoke from prescribed burns exceeded the national PM10 target. These data show that the target has been exceeded on several occasions in mid-summer due to wildfires, and in winter due to domestic wood stoves. To help overcome smoke impact from prescribed fires, the Department of Conservation and Land Management in consultation with the Bureau of Meteorology and the Department of Environmental Protection has applied a decision support system that assists in forecasting the direction in which smoke travels and the way it impacts on major residential areas. The application of this decision support model has helped reduce the incidence of smoke impacting on residential areas in south-west WA. Fuel reduction burning is an important part of the overall strategy for minimising the damage that wildfires can inflict on townships, forest communities and urban-rural interface areas. Without these prescribed burns the incidence of fire losses and serious smoke haze from intense summer wildfires will inevitably increase. The Government is therefore committed to maintaining an adequate level of prescribed burning to meet both community protection and biodiversity conservation objectives. A system of smoke alerts has been implemented when a risk of smoke from prescribed burning occurs.
(2) and (3) The incidence of exceedences of the PM10 target in the Perth area as a result of smoke from prescribed burning operations conducted by the Department of Conservation and Land Management is very low. Department of Environmental Protection data for the 8 year period since November 1994 reveal that there were only 3 days when smoke from prescribed burns exceeded the national PM10 target. These data show that the target has been exceeded on several occasions in mid-summer due to wildfires, and in winter due to domestic wood stoves. To help overcome smoke impact from prescribed fires, the Department of Conservation and Land Management in consultation with the Bureau of Meteorology and the Department of Environmental Protection has applied a decision support system that assists in forecasting the direction in which smoke travels and the way it impacts on major residential areas. The application of this decision support model has helped reduce the incidence of smoke impacting on residential areas in south-west WA. Fuel reduction burning is an important part of the overall strategy for minimising the damage that wildfires can inflict on townships, forest communities and urban-rural interface areas. Without these prescribed burns the incidence of fire losses and serious smoke haze from intense summer wildfires will inevitably increase. The Government is therefore committed to maintaining an adequate level of prescribed burning to meet both community protection and biodiversity conservation objectives. A system of smoke alerts has been implemented when a risk of smoke from prescribed burning occurs.
Department of Environmental Protection data for the 8 year period since November 1994 reveal that there were only 3 days when smoke from prescribed burns exceeded the national PM10 target. These data show that the target has been exceeded on several occasions in mid-summer due to wildfires, and in winter due to domestic wood stoves. To help overcome smoke impact from prescribed fires, the Department of Conservation and Land Management in consultation with the Bureau of Meteorology and the Department of Environmental Protection has applied a decision support system that assists in forecasting the direction in which smoke travels and the way it impacts on major residential areas. The application of this decision support model has helped reduce the incidence of smoke impacting on residential areas in south-west WA. Fuel reduction burning is an important part of the overall strategy for minimising the damage that wildfires can inflict on townships, forest communities and urban-rural interface areas. Without these prescribed burns the incidence of fire losses and serious smoke haze from intense summer wildfires will inevitably increase. The Government is therefore committed to maintaining an adequate level of prescribed burning to meet both community protection and biodiversity conservation objectives. A system of smoke alerts has been implemented when a risk of smoke from prescribed burning occurs.
To help overcome smoke impact from prescribed fires, the Department of Conservation and Land Management in consultation with the Bureau of Meteorology and the Department of Environmental Protection has applied a decision support system that assists in forecasting the direction in which smoke travels and the way it impacts on major residential areas. The application of this decision support model has helped reduce the incidence of smoke impacting on residential areas in south-west WA. Fuel reduction burning is an important part of the overall strategy for minimising the damage that wildfires can inflict on townships, forest communities and urban-rural interface areas. Without these prescribed burns the incidence of fire losses and serious smoke haze from intense summer wildfires will inevitably increase. The Government is therefore committed to maintaining an adequate level of prescribed burning to meet both community protection and biodiversity conservation objectives. A system of smoke alerts has been implemented when a risk of smoke from prescribed burning occurs.
Fuel reduction burning is an important part of the overall strategy for minimising the damage that wildfires can inflict on townships, forest communities and urban-rural interface areas. Without these prescribed burns the incidence of fire losses and serious smoke haze from intense summer wildfires will inevitably increase. The Government is therefore committed to maintaining an adequate level of prescribed burning to meet both community protection and biodiversity conservation objectives. A system of smoke alerts has been implemented when a risk of smoke from prescribed burning occurs.
The Government is therefore committed to maintaining an adequate level of prescribed burning to meet both community protection and biodiversity conservation objectives. A system of smoke alerts has been implemented when a risk of smoke from prescribed burning occurs.
This contrasts with the results of similar studies during the Christmas 2001 fires around Sydney involving major hospitals in the city. These reported relatively few people came into emergency departments with respiratory problems over the full duration of these severe bushfire smoke events. The study indicated that the relatively few asthma attacks attributed to smoke was partly due to the extensive publicity campaign in the lead up to the summer, and the fact that smoke is a much less persuasive trigger than other allergens. It would be appreciated if the Member could provide the article from The Lancet if it exists. (2) and (3) The incidence of exceedences of the PM10 target in the Perth area as a result of smoke from prescribed burning operations conducted by the Department of Conservation and Land Management is very low. Department of Environmental Protection data for the 8 year period since November 1994 reveal that there were only 3 days when smoke from prescribed burns exceeded the national PM10 target. These data show that the target has been exceeded on several occasions in mid-summer due to wildfires, and in winter due to domestic wood stoves. To help overcome smoke impact from prescribed fires, the Department of Conservation and Land Management in consultation with the Bureau of Meteorology and the Department of Environmental Protection has applied a decision support system that assists in forecasting the direction in which smoke travels and the way it impacts on major residential areas. The application of this decision support model has helped reduce the incidence of smoke impacting on residential areas in south-west WA. Fuel reduction burning is an important part of the overall strategy for minimising the damage that wildfires can inflict on townships, forest communities and urban-rural interface areas. Without these prescribed burns the incidence of fire losses and serious smoke haze from intense summer wildfires will inevitably increase. The Government is therefore committed to maintaining an adequate level of prescribed burning to meet both community protection and biodiversity conservation objectives. A system of smoke alerts has been implemented when a risk of smoke from prescribed burning occurs.
It would be appreciated if the Member could provide the article from The Lancet if it exists. (2) and (3) The incidence of exceedences of the PM10 target in the Perth area as a result of smoke from prescribed burning operations conducted by the Department of Conservation and Land Management is very low. Department of Environmental Protection data for the 8 year period since November 1994 reveal that there were only 3 days when smoke from prescribed burns exceeded the national PM10 target. These data show that the target has been exceeded on several occasions in mid-summer due to wildfires, and in winter due to domestic wood stoves. To help overcome smoke impact from prescribed fires, the Department of Conservation and Land Management in consultation with the Bureau of Meteorology and the Department of Environmental Protection has applied a decision support system that assists in forecasting the direction in which smoke travels and the way it impacts on major residential areas. The application of this decision support model has helped reduce the incidence of smoke impacting on residential areas in south-west WA. Fuel reduction burning is an important part of the overall strategy for minimising the damage that wildfires can inflict on townships, forest communities and urban-rural interface areas. Without these prescribed burns the incidence of fire losses and serious smoke haze from intense summer wildfires will inevitably increase. The Government is therefore committed to maintaining an adequate level of prescribed burning to meet both community protection and biodiversity conservation objectives. A system of smoke alerts has been implemented when a risk of smoke from prescribed burning occurs.
(2) and (3) The incidence of exceedences of the PM10 target in the Perth area as a result of smoke from prescribed burning operations conducted by the Department of Conservation and Land Management is very low. Department of Environmental Protection data for the 8 year period since November 1994 reveal that there were only 3 days when smoke from prescribed burns exceeded the national PM10 target. These data show that the target has been exceeded on several occasions in mid-summer due to wildfires, and in winter due to domestic wood stoves. To help overcome smoke impact from prescribed fires, the Department of Conservation and Land Management in consultation with the Bureau of Meteorology and the Department of Environmental Protection has applied a decision support system that assists in forecasting the direction in which smoke travels and the way it impacts on major residential areas. The application of this decision support model has helped reduce the incidence of smoke impacting on residential areas in south-west WA. Fuel reduction burning is an important part of the overall strategy for minimising the damage that wildfires can inflict on townships, forest communities and urban-rural interface areas. Without these prescribed burns the incidence of fire losses and serious smoke haze from intense summer wildfires will inevitably increase. The Government is therefore committed to maintaining an adequate level of prescribed burning to meet both community protection and biodiversity conservation objectives. A system of smoke alerts has been implemented when a risk of smoke from prescribed burning occurs.
Department of Environmental Protection data for the 8 year period since November 1994 reveal that there were only 3 days when smoke from prescribed burns exceeded the national PM10 target. These data show that the target has been exceeded on several occasions in mid-summer due to wildfires, and in winter due to domestic wood stoves. To help overcome smoke impact from prescribed fires, the Department of Conservation and Land Management in consultation with the Bureau of Meteorology and the Department of Environmental Protection has applied a decision support system that assists in forecasting the direction in which smoke travels and the way it impacts on major residential areas. The application of this decision support model has helped reduce the incidence of smoke impacting on residential areas in south-west WA. Fuel reduction burning is an important part of the overall strategy for minimising the damage that wildfires can inflict on townships, forest communities and urban-rural interface areas. Without these prescribed burns the incidence of fire losses and serious smoke haze from intense summer wildfires will inevitably increase. The Government is therefore committed to maintaining an adequate level of prescribed burning to meet both community protection and biodiversity conservation objectives. A system of smoke alerts has been implemented when a risk of smoke from prescribed burning occurs.
To help overcome smoke impact from prescribed fires, the Department of Conservation and Land Management in consultation with the Bureau of Meteorology and the Department of Environmental Protection has applied a decision support system that assists in forecasting the direction in which smoke travels and the way it impacts on major residential areas. The application of this decision support model has helped reduce the incidence of smoke impacting on residential areas in south-west WA. Fuel reduction burning is an important part of the overall strategy for minimising the damage that wildfires can inflict on townships, forest communities and urban-rural interface areas. Without these prescribed burns the incidence of fire losses and serious smoke haze from intense summer wildfires will inevitably increase. The Government is therefore committed to maintaining an adequate level of prescribed burning to meet both community protection and biodiversity conservation objectives. A system of smoke alerts has been implemented when a risk of smoke from prescribed burning occurs.
Fuel reduction burning is an important part of the overall strategy for minimising the damage that wildfires can inflict on townships, forest communities and urban-rural interface areas. Without these prescribed burns the incidence of fire losses and serious smoke haze from intense summer wildfires will inevitably increase. The Government is therefore committed to maintaining an adequate level of prescribed burning to meet both community protection and biodiversity conservation objectives. A system of smoke alerts has been implemented when a risk of smoke from prescribed burning occurs.
The Government is therefore committed to maintaining an adequate level of prescribed burning to meet both community protection and biodiversity conservation objectives. A system of smoke alerts has been implemented when a risk of smoke from prescribed burning occurs.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.