Science

Global wildfires decreased during the COVID-19 lockdown, but some fires intensified without human intervention

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 09/10/2026, 15:10:23 UTC.

Briefings

A 2026 study published in Cell Reports Sustainability found that global wildfire incidents dropped by over 12% during the first half of 2020 when human activity halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This decline occurred despite some fires intensifying without human intervention, highlighting the complex role of human activity in shaping fire patterns. The study suggests that while lockdowns reduced ignition sources, other factors like climate change and vegetation conditions continued to influence fire behavior.

Key points

• Global wildfire incidents decreased by more than 12% during the first half of 2020 when human activity halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Some wildfires intensified without human intervention, indicating that factors beyond human activity continue to influence fire patterns.

Context and limitations

The study covers only the first half of 2020 and is limited by the availability of data from the pandemic period.

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