Health and safety information
Bushfires can impact on your health in a number of ways. Extreme temperatures, smoke and reduced air quality can have severe effects on some people, particularly older people and those with asthma and other respiratory conditions.
Fact sheets
A range of fact sheets are available from the DoH environmental health website (external link) to help you prepare and understand the health issues associated with bushfire. The following fact sheets (external links) are available:
Health
- Bushfire smoke and health
- Air quality in bushfire affected areas
- Heat stress - preventing heat related illness
- Food safety and energy power failure
Safety
- Hazards on your property after a bushfire
- Please be safe when returning to your property
- Using protective kits in bushfire affected areas
- Ash from CCA-treated timber
- Bushfires - using alternative fuel and electricity generation safely
- Cleaning up a smoke affected home
Water tanks
- Water tanks and bushfires
- Assessing your water tank in bushfire affected areas
- Fire retardants and health
Some of these fact sheets have been translated into languages other than English. Scroll to the end of the fact sheet for the pdf translation.
Energy Safe Victoria has fact sheet information about using generators safely (external link).
The Better Health Channel (external link) website has additional health fact sheet information.
The Pantry List (external link) has been prepared to provide guidance on stocking your pantry should an emergency disrupt food supply.
General health advice
NURSE-ON-CALL (external link) is a phone service that allows you to discuss any health related issue with a registered nurse, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for the cost of a local call from anywhere in Victoria. Call 1300 60 60 24.
You should talk to your doctor or local community health service if you feel unwell. You can find this information using the health service search on the Better Health Channel (external link).