A new research facility that will enable groundbreaking studies into the impacts of bushfires, plant flammability, smoke emissions, air pollution and human health has launched at the University of Tasmania .
FireLab3 is an internationally significant initiative that offers unprecedented capabilities to precisely measure flammability, air pollution from combustion and human health and environmental impacts linked to air quality.
Bringing together expertise across public health research and environmental sciences, FireLab3 involves contributors from across the University of Tasmania's Menzies Institute for Medical Research and the Fire Centre Research Hub in the School of Natural Sciences.
It is the only facility of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, one of only a few in the world, and positions Tasmania at the forefront of global efforts to understand and respond to climate-driven environmental change and the associated health impacts.
Professor David Bowman , ARC Laureate Fellow and Director of the Fire Centre said the new facility was the culmination of years of collaboration and innovation, designed to tackle the complex and pressing challenges of our time, which are worsening due to climate change.
"This is not just a Tasmanian asset - it's a global resource," Professor Bowman said.
"With FireLab3, we can now generate world-class data to inform policies and interventions for bushfire preparedness and resilience that protect people, ecosystems and infrastructure in a warming world."
Professor Fay Johnston is a public health physician and environmental epidemiologist known for her research on the health impacts of wood smoke. She said the new facility would provide her Environmental Health research group with tools to expand their work with greater detail than ever before.
The new facility consists of three key laboratories: the Flammability Lab, the Venn Exposure Lab (including the Climate Hut) and the John Todd Bioenergy Lab.
The cutting-edge Climate Hut is highly specialised with a controlled exposure chamber that simulates real-world atmospheric conditions.
It allows researchers to study the effects of smoke and climate on human health, contributing critical insights to public health strategies and bushfire resilience.
"We are entering a new era where the impacts of fire and air quality on human health can be measured and understood with far greater precision," Professor Johnston said.
"FireLab3 gives us the ability to design more effective interventions to protect communities from bushfire smoke, extreme heat and wood heater emissions.
"This is a game-changer for public health and climate adaptation."
The John Todd Bioenergy Lab is driving innovation in wood heater testing and design for Australia. It provides the foundation for substantial reductions of toxic particles and carbon emissions from one of the most important sources of air pollution in Australia today.
The Flammability Lab allows researchers to systematically test and compare the flammability of different plants in both wet and dry conditions, investigate the impacts of smoke taint on crops like wine grapes and measure bushfire emissions.
The establishment of FireLab3 further cements Tasmania's growing reputation as a leader in sustainability, climate research and evidence-based action on environmental health.
The launch event will include an in-person and virtual seminar featuring leading experts in fire science, public health and environmental engineering, as well as tours of the facility. Attendees will experience live demonstrations of plant flammability testing, grape smoke taint testing and wood heater performance evaluations.
