Bushfire smoke – how dangerous?
When bushfires scar the landscape, they create huge clouds of toxic smoke that tint the skies orange and red. People with allergies may see bushfire smoke from a different perspective; those red skies can signal the start of an onset of allergic reaction and breathing difficulties.
What’s in bushfire smoke?
Bushfire smoke contains both gases and particle matter (solid particles).
PM2.5 and ultrafine particles are types of particulate matter found in bushfire smoke. They’re differentiated by size; for example, PM10 is coarse particulate matter measuring 10 micrometers in diameter or less.
However, while PM10 is a health threat, it is larger and less dangerous than PM2.5 and ultrafine particles, which are 2.5 micrometers in diameter or less and 0.1 micrometers or less respectively. These pose the greatest threat to human health, and they are the most commonly experienced pollutants. PM2.5 and ultrafine particles are so tiny they can enter the blood stream after being inhaled and reach all parts of the body.
In addition to solid particulates, harmful gases are also found in bushfire smoke. These gases range in adverse human health impacts from eye, nose, throat, and skin irritation to severe respiratory infection, asthma, and, in some cases, can be fatal. Gases included in bushfire smoke can include:
High levels of formaldehyde and benzene exposure may lead to cancer, while breathing carbon monoxide can lead to poisoning and death.
Can bushfire smoke worsen allergies?
Research has demonstrated that allergy sufferers, who often already have chronically inflamed airways, experience worsened symptoms during bushfire events.
In a 2022 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, researchers found that respiratory peak flow among allergy clinic patients was decreased one year after exposure to two different bushfire events. Researchers noted the effect could be explained by the possibility that bushfire smoke increased allergic response to other allergens or that the smoke was causing a delayed immune response.
In a review of literature focused on the effects of bushfire smoke and exposure for people with asthma and allergic disease, a 2023 paper published in Current Allergy and Asthma Reports found that exposure to PM2.5 increases allergic predisposition and upper airway or sino-nasal disease.
Government health organizations noted a number of additional chronic conditions that can be aggravated by bushfire smoke exposure, including asthma, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and other respiratory diseases. For anyone more vulnerable to bushfire smoke, planning ahead before bushfire season and bushfire smoke events is a key factor protecting your health.
Symptoms of bushfire smoke allergies
While everyone exposed to bushfire smoke can struggle to breathe, allergy sufferers experience the same symptoms on a much worse scale.
Short-term effects of bushfire smoke exposure that could impact allergy sufferers include:
Firefighters may experience respiratory system allergies through frequent exposure to smoke.
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The takeaway
Bushfire smoke poses a real threat to your allergies and health, but you have several options for protecting yourself.
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