Bushfire-destroyed homes should not be rebuilt in riskiest areas, experts say

Planning experts call for state governments to buy back land from people in most bushfire-prone areas

State governments have been warned against promising to recreate some communities destroyed by the bushfire crisis and urged to consider preventing homeowners from rebuilding their homes in the riskiest areas.

Three planning experts, including two who appeared on a planning panel convened for the Victorian Black Saturday royal commission, told Guardian Australia to avoid repeating what they considered the mistakes of past bushfire recoveries.