Covid-19 Pandemic and Its Environmental Implications: An Investigation of Forest Fires in Northern Iran

Abstract

A global health and economic crisis was caused by a pandemic Covid-19 in 2020, which reduced human activity worldwide. As human activities decreased, researchers had the chance to evaluate the impact of humankind on the ecosystem as well as explore the causes behind natural occurrences like forest fires, which are mostly caused by humans. To assess the effect of quarantine on the forest fire situation in northern Iran. Twelve indicators were retrieved from Sentinel satellites, which represent four groups: land surface temperature, air pollutants, vegetation, and humidity. As indicated by preliminary results, the risk of fire decreased by about 34% in 2020 compared with 2018-2019; however, it subsequently increased again in 2021-2022. This leads to the conclusion that Covid-19 had a positive impact on forest health, but there was still an element of uncertainty as different ecological variables come into play. To evaluate this hypothesis in different regions, it is necessary to conduct additional studies, especially using ground-based data. In light of the adverse economic consequences of Covid-19, it is recommended that forest protection policies be implemented more effectively.