A firefighter battles the 2018 Camp Fire in Magalia, California. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images North America) With fires beginning earlier in the spring and persisting later into the fall, communities may have to contend with the dual risk of COVID-19 and wildfire for several months. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images North America)

It is only the beginning of the 2020 wildfire season and already there have been 20,351 US wildfires between January 1 and June 12. Compare this to 16,630 fires during the same period in 2019, according to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC).

The 2020 fire season presents new challenges related to COVID-19.

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