The Blue Mountains is one of the most bushfire-prone landscapes in Australia. Our eucalypt forests, steep valleys and dry ridgelines mean that fire is a natural part of the environment - but with climate change driving hotter, more extreme conditions, the risks are increasing.

A high-density, multi-storey housing development in this setting is dangerous for both the environment and the community. Concentrating people and buildings in fire-prone areas puts heavy pressure on the land. Clearing bushland and replacing it with buildings and hard surfaces fragments habitat, reduces biodiversity and strips away natural functions that help landscapes recover after fire. Healthy ecosystems store water, stabilise soils and provide critical refuge for wildlife. When these functions are lost, the land is left more exposed to fire damage and is slower to regenerate once fire has passed.

For residents, the challenges are equally stark. In places with only single-road access, such as Narrow Neck, bushfire evacuation is already difficult. Adding hundreds more people and vehicles would create dangerous bottlenecks, making it harder for emergency services to respond and harder for people to escape safely.

Protecting the Blue Mountains means recognising its limits. Housing must be planned in ways that respect this unique environment and keep both ecosystems and communities safe from escalating bushfire risks.

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