Up to 86 per cent more people headed to the emergency department with breathing issues during this year's bushfires, as smoke from the Dunns Road bushfire clouded the region.
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A report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found asthma sufferers and those with other respiratory issues sought assistance at much higher rates in the Riverina during weeks of unhealthy to hazardous air quality over December and January.
The report found for people living in the Riverina region around the time the Dunns Road fire was burning at an emergency warning level near Batlow for several days, "respiratory-related presentations to an emergency department increased by 86% for the week beginning 5 January 2020 when compared with presentations for the same week in the previous year. "
That week, Wagga's air quality reached a PM2.5 concentration high of 1,798.7 micrograms per cubic metre, over three times beyond the Air Quality Index hazardous level.
The report also found in that same week, sales of inhalers for shortness of breath increased by 52 per cent on the previous year.
Murrumbidgee Local Health District respiratory nurse Robyn Paton said while the Riverina typically had its worst time for respiratory issues around winter and spring, the fires had made for a busy summer.
"Because smoke is an irritant, and it automatically will make you cough ... and therefore will make you short of breath ... you don't necessarily have to have a previous history of getting asthma to have found you had breathing difficulties during that time of heavy smoke," she said.
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Ms Paton said those with existing conditions were advised at the time to stay home with the doors and windows shut, or wear a P2 mask for those over the age of 12 to 14 who could not remain at home.
However, she said the prolonged nature of the smoke meant it was difficult for many to avoid.
"Because the fires were so persistent and the smoke was hanging around for so long, the smoke ended up being inside the house as well as outside the house," she said.
Conditions were even worse for those in close proximity to the smoke for a prolonged period, including firefighters on the front line.
Ms Paton said the fires had been a reminder of the importance of being prepared to manage respiratory problems in an emergency situation, whether it be diligently taking medication and following their action plan, making sure to have prescriptions on hand when evacuating or even early evacuation for those requiring home oxygen.