Burns

Presentations to an emergency department with a principal diagnosis categorised as burns (ICD-10-AM codes T20–T31) were analysed.

Overall, the presentation rate for burns in Australia is generally low. Fluctuations in presentation rates—likely due to small numbers—were observed during the periods analysed. Therefore, the following results should be interpreted with caution.

Nationally, presentation rates for burns was generally lower each week during the 2019–20 bushfire season, compared with the previous bushfire season. However, there was a 10% increase in the week beginning 24 November 2019—3.1 per 100,000 persons (about 800 presentations), compared with 2.8 per 100,000 in the previous bushfire season (about 710 presentations).

To explore national data and data for states and territories, see interactive data visualisations below (for data tables see Supplementary table S3).

Emergency department presentation rate, by jurisdiction, burns (ICD-10-AM codes T20–T31), weeks in 2019–20 bushfire season relative to previous year

This combined chart shows the crude rate of emergency department presentations (per 100,000 persons) for burns for the periods 2019–20 and 2018–19, and the percentage change in crude rate between the two periods. Data are presented by jurisdiction and by week, for the period 1 September to 29 February/1 March, which correspond to the bushfire season. The chart shows that nationally, compared with the previous year, the presentation rate was generally lower each week during the 2019–20 bushfire season. There were also variations at the jurisdictional level.

At the state and territory level, examples of increases in the rate of presentations for burns coinciding with periods of significant fire activity or air pollution included:

  • a 90% increase in the week beginning 26 January 2020 for Australian Capital Territory residents—6.3 per 100,000 persons (27 presentations), compared with 3.3 per 100,000 in the previous bushfire season (14 presentations). This period coincided with an increased intensity of the Orroral Valley fire in the Australian Capital Territory
  • a 54% increase in the week beginning 15 December 2019 for South Australian residents—5.2 per 100,000 persons (92 presentations), compared with 3.4 per 100,000 in the previous bushfire season (59 presentations). This coincided with a time when dozens of fires burned in the state in catastrophic conditions.

Because the numbers of burns presentations at the level of Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4) were generally small, data are not presented at this level.

For data by Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4), see Supplementary table S4.