This list addresses a significant global risk that is largely neglected in research and policy. Fires cause over 300,000 deaths annually worldwide and leave millions with permanent injuries: 95% of deaths are in low- and middle-income countries. Burn injury risk is strongly associated with low-income and informal settlements, which are growing rapidly in an urbanising world. Urban fires exemplify a global problem that the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) defines as ‘extensive risk’: i.e. the widespread risk to repeated or persistent hazard conditions of low or moderate intensity, often of a highly localized nature, which can lead to debilitating cumulative disaster impacts. Fire policy and mitigation strategies in poorer countries are constrained by lack of data, capacity and resources. This list builds on existing informal collaborations involving UK universities, independent research institutions, international NGOs and fire and rescue services. It is open to anyone working on any aspect of this subject, from any country.