The natural environment and chronic respiratory conditions
The natural environment has the ability to affect health outcomes, particularly for people living with chronic respiratory conditions due to the impact on air quality. In Australia, bushfires and thunderstorm asthma epidemics are common events of concern.
Thunderstorm asthma
Last updated June 2024
Thunderstorm asthma can occur suddenly in spring or summer when there is a lot of pollen in the air and the weather is hot, dry, windy and stormy. People with asthma and/or hay fever need to be extra cautious to avoid flare-ups induced by thunderstorm asthma between September and January in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland because it can be very serious (NACA 2019).
In 2016, a serious thunderstorm asthma epidemic was triggered in Melbourne when very high pollen counts coincided with adverse meteorological conditions, resulting in 3,365 people presenting at hospital emergency departments over 30 hours, and 10 deaths (Thien et al. 2018). Following this event, a Victorian thunderstorm asthma forecasting system was set up (Victoria State Government 2022).
Australian bushfires of 2019–20: Impact on COPD and asthma
Last updated June 2024
The bushfires that swept across Australia in 2019–20 resulted in 33 deaths, destruction of over 3,000 houses and millions of hectares of land (Parliament of Australia 2020). Bushfire smoke exposure was significantly associated with an increased risk of respiratory morbidity (Liu et al. 2015).
Nationally, hospitalisation rates increased for asthma and COPD coinciding with increased bushfire activity during the 2019–20 bushfire season (AIHW 2021). For asthma, the highest increase of 36% was observed in the week beginning 12 January 2020, compared with the previous 5-year average (2.4 and 1.7 per 100,000 population).
For emergency department presentations for asthma, the highest increase of 44% was observed in the same week (beginning 12 January 2020), compared with the previous bushfire season (4.7 and 3.3 per 100,000 population). See Natural environment and health.
AIHW (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare) (2021) Data update: Short-term health impacts of the 2019–20 Australian bushfires, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 15 March 2022.
NACA (National Asthma Council Australia) (2019) Thunderstorm asthma, National Asthma Council Australia, Melbourne, accessed 9 February 2023.
Liu JC, Pereira G, Uhl SA, Bravo MA and Bell ML (2015) ‘A systematic review of the physical health impacts from non-occupational exposure to wildfire smoke’, Environmental Research, 136:120–132, doi:10.1016/j.envres.2014.10.015.
Parliament of Australia (2020) 2019–20 Australian bushfires–frequently asked questions: a quick guide, Parliament of Australia, Australian Government, accessed 9 March 2023.
Thien F, Beggs PJ, Csutoros D, Darvall J, Hew M, Davies JM, Bardin PG, Bannister T, Barnes S, Bellomo R, Byrne T, Casamento A, Conron M, Cross A, Crosswell A, Douglass JA, Durie M, Dyett J, Ebert E, Erbas B and French C (2018) ‘The Melbourne epidemic thunderstorm asthma event 2016: an investigation of environmental triggers, effect on health services, and patient risk factors’, Lancet Planet Health, 2(6):e255–e263, doi:10.1016/S2542-5196(18)30120-7.
Victoria State Government (2022) Epidemic thunderstorm asthma forecast, Victoria State Government, accessed 9 March 2023.