Statistical modelling of air quality impacts from individual forest fires in New South Wales, Australia

Wildfires and hazard reduction burns produce smoke that contains pollutants including particulate matter. Particulate matter less than 2.5 µm in diameter (PM.sub.2.5) is harmful to human health, potentially causing cardiovascular and respiratory issues that can lead to premature deaths. PM.sub.2.5 levels depend on environmental conditions, fire behaviour and smoke dispersal patterns. Fire management agencies need to understand and predict PM.sub.2.5 levels associated with a particular fire so that pollution warnings can be sent to communities and/or hazard reduction burns can be timed to avoid the worst conditions for PM.sub.2.5 pollution.