Australians choked through a smoke-ridden summer during the bushfire crisis. But many of us are unaware of the silent damage indoor wood fire heaters are doing to our health.
Wood smoke may smell good, but it is not good for you.
(Shutterstock)
Haze from Northern California wildfires has drifted as far east as Philadelphia. Wildfire smoke contains many potentially toxic substances, so anyone exposed to it should take basic precautions.
Flames and smoke shroud State Route 33 as a wildfire burns in Ventura, California, Dec. 5, 2017.
Daniel Dreifuss via AP
Intense wildfires in southern California are triggering air quality alerts. Health experts know surprisingly little about how inhaling smoke affects human health, especially over the long term.
Wildfire creates an orange glow in a view from a hilltop Oct. 13, 2017, in Geyserville, California.
AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez
Wildfires in California have triggered a public health emergency. One threat is smoke inhalation: Some air readings have registered pollution levels comparable to bad air days in Beijing or Mumbai.
At this time of year there’s nothing better than being warm and cosy in front of a blazing wood fire. But take a moment to walk outside and check your chimney - it could be polluting an entire neigbourhood…
Research Leader in Respiratory cellular and molecular biology at the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research and Professor, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney
Chancellor's Postdoctoral Research Fellow and Lecturer in Air and Noise Pollution, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney