Safeguarding Nature and Cities in a Burning Country

Abstract

Raging fires around Los Angeles are another stark reminder of how deeply our lives are intertwined with nature. Fires in the western USA — as with fires around Athens, Sydney or Valparaiso — expose not only the vulnerability of urban communities but also the neglect and overexploitation of the natural systems that sustain us and protect cities. As flames consumed forests, homes and infrastructure in Los Angeles in early 2025 (destroying 16,000 buildings, with thousands more facing continued risk), the controversies around fire prevention and management are likely to burn through political opportunities to build a common vision for a resilient and sustainable future in and around urban areas. Although the Los Angeles fires and political shifts in Washington cast attention on the USA, recent climate emergencies and political transitions to the right or extreme-right internationally call for invoking shared values in the management of the climate crisis and the protection of natural resources.