The Big Smoke

The flames of last summer's apocalyptic bushfires are well and truly embedded in the memories of all Australians. But what scientists have now discovered is that it was actually the smoke from the blazes that caused the greatest human loss. For weeks and weeks, vast swathes of the country were choked in a suffocating haze of highly polluted air. It led to a staggering toll. More than 400 deaths, as well as 4000 hospital admissions, have been directly attributed to the bushfire smoke. As Tara Brown reports, everyone hopes this year's fire season will be less severe, but unless the insidious health threat posed by smoke is fully understood, more lives will be at risk.

Reporter: Tara Brown

Producers: Garry McNab, Alex Bernhardt