A recent study has found that the outskirts of major Australian cities, including Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth, and Hobart, are at risk of catastrophic fires similar to those that occurred in Los Angeles in January 2025. The LA fires claimed 31 lives and destroyed 16,000 buildings. At least 6.9 million Australians living on the fringes of these cities are exposed to this risk, particularly in suburbs bordered by bush or grassland.
The report by the Climate Council and Emergency Leaders for Climate Action identifies common traits between the LA fires and the conditions in Australian cities, including steep slopes, proximity to bushland, and the potential for extreme dry periods and strong winds. These factors contributed to the severity of the LA fires, which were exacerbated by naturally occurring Santa Ana winds. The study challenges the assumption that bushfires are primarily a regional or rural concern, highlighting the risk to urban areas.
The findings serve as a warning to Australian cities, which have already experienced urban fires, such as the 2003 Canberra disaster that killed four people and destroyed over 500 properties. While Australia has not yet experienced a disaster on the same scale as the LA fires, the report suggests that the conditions are ripe for a similar catastrophe to occur.