Millions of people living on the expanding outskirts of Australia’s major cities face an increasing risk of urban wildfires, a concerning trend that mirrors the deadly blazes experienced in Los Angeles. This escalating threat to communities on the fringes of centers like Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth, which now house over 6.9 million inhabitants, is directly linked to a dangerous confluence of environmental factors and urban expansion. The report by the Climate Council think tank and former Australian fire chiefs highlights how residential areas are now adjoining highly flammable grasslands, creating an unprecedented vulnerability.
