<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Wood heaters have long provided winter comfort in Australian homes, but the impact of the smoke they emit has sparked health warnings and rows between neighbours.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Exposure to the smoke is a known trigger for asthma, and over many years is linked with cardiovascular conditions, such as heart attack and stroke as well as respiratory diseases and even cancer.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>New research has revealed the impact from their smoke on the country's health.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-jeffrey-epstein-files-us-president-says-virginia-giuffre-was-stolen-from-mar-a-lago/e92fad6e-bd41-476b-af8b-3780d8ff547d" target="_blank"><strong><span>Trump says Epstein 'stole' Virginia Giuffre from Mar-A-Lago spa</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Researchers at the University of Tasmania's Centre for Safe Air claim that 729 people die prematurely every year from long-term exposure to wood heater smoke, while for millions even low-level exposure pose a health risk.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The experts have also identified Australia's hotspots for wood-heater emissions and the deaths attributable to them, based on data from 2015.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Residents in south-eastern states are the most at risk from the silent danger.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/wood-heater-smoke-health-danger-hotspots-revealed/06c27771-2f08-4a2b-8065-5f929e6d336e" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The health burden is greatest in NSW, which has the country's highest wood heater emissions and the highest number of estimated premature deaths at 382 per year.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>This equates to 5.01 people dying prematurely each year for every 100,000 people.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/new-york-city-gunman-who-killed-4-at-manhattan-office-building-was-targeting-nfl-headquarters-mayor-says/24a4712b-ee02-469a-9195-07edb9a12359" target="_blank"><strong><span>Gunman who killed four at Manhattan office building 'was targeting NFL headquarters</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Victoria records the second-highest wood heater emissions and estimated premature deaths (163 per year). But this represents 2.7 deaths per 100,000 people, reflecting a comparatively lower health impact.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Despite lower total emissions, South Australia and Tasmania face some of the most severe health impacts. The researchers estimate that 4.07 people die prematurely each year due to wood heater smoke for every 100,000 people in South Australia, or 69 premature deaths in total.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Tasmania's premature death rate is close behind at 4.03 per 100,000 (21 premature deaths in total).</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In the ACT, wood heaters result in much lower total emissions, yet they are estimated to cause nine premature deaths annually, equating to 2.2 deaths per 100,000 people.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Professor Fay Johnston, public health physician and environmental epidemiologist from the Centre for Safe Air, said the findings in the research were likely to be conservative.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The true health impact from wood heaters could well be higher ... it's important to recognise that some areas, like Tasmania, Canberra and Armidale in NSW, have local studies and real-world monitoring data showing even worse wood heater pollution levels and health outcomes than the national model suggests."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Asthma Australia is concerned state and territory governments are failing the 2.8 million people with asthma by not phasing out wood burners and replacing them with low-emission alternatives, such as reverse-cycle air conditioners.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Fewer wood heaters would mean cleaner air, fewer asthma flare-ups, and less need for emergency care during winter," said spokesperson Chris Pearce.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Every year, we hear from families whose children or elderly relatives end up in hospital simply because someone nearby is using a wood heater. This is avoidable harm."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple App Store</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>.</span></em></strong></div></div>