Burning Out? Effects of Severe Bushfires on Firefighters

Speaker: Dr Adam Dzulkipli

Affiliation: Monash University

Location: Room 215, Chamberlain Building (#35), St Lucia Campus

Zoom: https://uqz.zoom.us/j/82603079317

Abstract: Natural disasters are increasing in frequency and severity, yet causal effects on frontline workers remain poorly understood. This paper contributes by examining how severe bushfires affect the health and labour market outcomes of Australian firefighters. Using linked administrative data and a difference-in-differences design, we find no significant effect of bushfires on healthcare utilisation. In contrast, bushfires generate significant labour market disruptions: exposed firefighters are less likely to remain employed as firefighters, less likely to report earning salary or wages, and more likely to temporarily use welfare. A triple-differences design using non-frontline occupations as an additional comparison group suggests that these labour market effects reflect occupational exposure to bushfires, rather than residential exposure.