COVID-19 prompts new fire strategies: Officials aim to put blazes out quickly rather than burning off undergrowth

Marshall said COVID-19 has prompted a new statewide strategy aimed at extinguishing wildfires as soon as possible.

“In the past, we’d let some fires burn and let them burn out some of the undergrowth if it wasn’t threatening structures and try and clear out some of that to help reduce the long-term fire danger,” Marshall said. “This year, that’s not going to be the case. There’s going to be a really aggressive effort to put out fires early on.”