Urban governance and vulnerability: exploring the tensions and contradictions in Sydney's response to bushfire threat

This paper explores Sydney's vulnerability to bushfire hazard. Despite the inevitability of bushfires and challenge posed to the urban interface by significant demographic pressures, there remains a mismatch between reactive technological fixes and proactive social programs. Extensive bushfires have caused significant damage across Sydney in recent years and have led to an increasing need to explore the range of measures and agents involved in bushfire management. The following analysis focuses on aspects of the governance framework and questions the adequacy of current policy and action, revealing the contradictions and tensions inherent in contemporary approaches.