Outskirts of Australian cities at risk of catastrophic fires on scale of deadly LA blazes, study finds

Wildfires whipped through the outer suburbs of Los Angeles in January 2025, claiming 31 lives and destroying 16,000 buildings. Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty Images

Many Australian cities share common traits that made the deadly 2025 Los Angeles fires so destructive, according to analysis into whether a similar disaster could occur here in future.

At least 6.9 million Australians living on the fringes of capital cities were at risk, according to a report by the Climate Council and Emergency Leaders for Climate Action, challenging assumptions that bushfires are a regional or rural concern.