Millions of Australians at risk as fire danger expands on urban fringes, new report says

Firefighters mop up after a bushfire engulfed homes on the NSW Central Coast in December 2025. Experts believe that Australian city fringes are at a greater risk of urban fires as deadly heatwave looms over multiple parts of Australia. (Representative image) Source: AAP / DAN HIMBRECHTS/AAPIMAGE

Nearly seven million people living on the fringes of Australia’s cities face growing risks from urban fires, as the nation braces for one of its most severe heatwaves since Black Summer of 2019-2020. A new joint report from former Australian fire chiefs and the Climate Council has suggested it's only a matter of time until Australian cities experience a disaster of the same magnitude as the Los Angeles blazes of 2025.

Follow and Subscribe

Apple Podcasts YouTube Spotify Listnr Download (7.12MB)

Download the SBS Audio appAvailable on iOS and Android

Published 7 January 2026 3:49pm

By Mahnaz Angury, Sam Dover

Presented by Vrishali Jain

Source: SBS

Share this with family and friends

Nearly seven million people living on the fringes of Australia’s cities face growing risks from urban fires, as the nation braces for one of its most severe heatwaves since Black Summer of 2019-2020. A new joint report from former Australian fire chiefs and the Climate Council has suggested it's only a matter of time until Australian cities experience a disaster of the same magnitude as the Los Angeles blazes of 2025.

Find our podcasts here at SBS Hindi Podcast Collection. You can also tune in to SBS Hindi at 5pm on SBS South Asian on digital radio, on channel 305 on your television, via the SBS Audio app or stream from our website.