Assessing the Impact of Bushfire Smoke on Health
Federated Australian air quality and bushfire-specific air pollution exposure dataset
Who will benefit
Researchers in air quality forecasting and climate change and, ultimately, people with respiratory health conditions
Program
The Challenge
While air pollution is a well-known health risk, there is a gap in our knowledge of whether bushfire smoke has the same health impacts as other sources of air pollution. Australian states and territories each collect air quality data at different levels of maturity and flexibility, and data from individual researchers can be difficult to access.
The Approach
This project has developed a federated Australian air quality data system and a bushfire-specific air pollution exposure dataset that’s consistent throughout Australia. It brings together the vast amount of air quality data collected in Australia into a common architecture and provides air pollution exposure mapping, processing and analysis that links this data with population health data.
The project supports capability uplift in smaller jurisdictions so that the maximum value of Australia’s investment in air quality monitoring and modelling can be realised. Importantly, by standardising and codifying the air quality data ecosystem in Australia, the project lays the foundation for ongoing improvement of air quality data services.
The Outcomes
The project has delivered the National Air Pollution Monitoring Database (NAPMD), a national dataset of aggregated and harmonised air quality data collected by the states and territories, researchers, industry and the community. Access to the NAPMD is now available to researchers on request via ARDC Research Data Australia (RDA).
The project has also delivered the Bushfire Specific PM2.5 2001–2020 dataset, a national dataset of bushfire particulate matter and background particulate matter, tailored to meet the population exposure data requirements for epidemiological analysis. Access the Bushfire Specific PM2.5 2001–2020 dataset via ARDC RDA.
The datasets, along with related publications, are also available on the Clean Air and health Research Data and Analysis Technology (CARDAT) website.
Who Will Benefit
The Partners
- National Air Quality Technical Advisory Group (NATAG) (representatives from all states-related agencies)
- Curtin University
- University of Tasmania
- The University of Sydney
- Australian Space Data Analyses Facility
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW)
- Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
Further Resources
- Learn more about this project from a presentation by Dr Ivan Hanigan (DC008) at the November 2023 Bushfire Data Challenges Forum.
- The National Air Pollution Monitoring Database (NAPMD) and Clean Air and health Research Data and Analysis Technology (CARDAT) were also supported by the ARDC’s Integrated National Air Pollution and Health Data and Air-Health Scientific Workflow System projects. Learn more about CARDAT from this webinar.
Contact the ARDC
Timeframe
April 2022 to December 2023
Current Phase
Complete
ARDC Co-investment
$600,000
Project lead
National Air Quality Technical Advisory Group (NATAG)
Categories
Research Topic
Related Case Studies
Related Resources
Related Projects
- Bushfire Research Data Management Plans
- Aggregating and Integrating Data on Health Outcomes Associated with Bushfires at a National Scale
- Integrated National Air Pollution and Health Data
- Air-Health Scientific Workflow System
- Curated Biodiversity Data for Rapid Assessment of Bushfire Impacts
- Establishing an Australian Reference Genome Atlas and Leadership Application in Bushfire Data
- Development of a Traits Database and Vulnerability Framework to Assess Fire Susceptibility of Australian Invertebrate Species
- Bushfire Data Access and Impact Modelling Platform
