Rebuilding areas ravaged by wildfires will present a daunting challenge, but the flip side could be the “compelling image of a city emerging from the ashes.”

The ongoing disaster in the Californian megalopolis is a reminder of just how vulnerable the region is to climate change. The situation has reopened the debate on the city's ability to smoothly prepare for and host the Games in three years' time.

The Los Angeles wildfire disaster has cast a shadow over preparations for the 2028 Olympics, raising questions over whether the city can deliver a safe and successful Games. So far, none of the more than 80 venues due to stage Olympic competition in Los Angeles have been directly affected by the infernos that have left at least 24 people dead and reduced entire neighborhoods to smoldering ruins.