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.

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.

New research has revealed the impact from their smoke on the country’s health.

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.

The experts have also identified Australia’s hotspots for wood-heater emissions and the deaths attributable to them, based on data from 2015.

Residents in south-eastern states are the most at risk from the silent danger.

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.

This equates to 5.01 people dying prematurely each year for every 100,000 people.

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.

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.

Tasmania’s premature death rate is close behind at 4.03 per 100,000 (21 premature deaths in total).

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.

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.

“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.”

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.

“Fewer wood heaters would mean cleaner air, fewer asthma flare-ups, and less need for emergency care during winter,” said spokesperson Chris Pearce.

“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.”