Question

Without people there would be no forest fires in California right now because dry vegetation CANNOT ignite, unlike what the media is telling us.

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Das ewige Geheimnis in dummdeutschen Schwurbelmedien, wie trockene Vegetation "sich entzünden" kann.

Sie tut es nie. Jemand muss sie anzünden. Es gäbe ohne Menschen zur Zeit keinen Waldbrand in Kalifornien.

Desinformation hilft nie, nicht mal einer guten Sache.

Comments

Your claim is False.

Dry vegetation does not catch fire on its own; it needs an ignition source. While humans cause many wildfires through campfires, cigarettes, and power lines, natural causes like lightning strikes can also start fires. In California, hot, dry, and windy conditions make it easier for fires to spread once ignited. Though human activity increases wildfire frequency, fires can still happen naturally. Lightning storms, rare volcanic activity, and even rockfalls creating sparks have started fires before. So while people play a big role in wildfires, it’s not true that fires wouldn’t happen without them—natural wildfires have existed for millions of years.

https://www.preventionweb.net/news/lightning-caused-wildfires-are-80-percent-more-likely-under-dry-vegetation

Answer 1

This is a false claim, there has been wild fires for millions of years completely before human were on earth or any human ancestor. All fires have something that start it such as a lightning or any other form of intense heat. You also have no initial source that proves this claim just the claim from a twitter post which itself has no source either. Most wild fires start with dry vegetation as well. The account that gave you the claim also seems to be very unreliable and not a real viable source for any type of claim.

https://www.dryad.net/post/how-do-wildfires-start

Answer 2

Wildfires in California are not solely caused by humans. Natural factors like lightning, strong winds, and drought also ignite fires. Climate change has worsened conditions by increasing temperatures and drying out vegetation, making fires more frequent and intense (Stephens & Kruczkiewicz, 2025). While CNN reports that 95% of California wildfires are human-caused, suppression of smaller natural fires has allowed fuel to accumulate, leading to larger, more destructive fires (National Geographic, 2023). The claim that wildfires wouldn’t occur without human activity is false—natural causes have always played a role, but human actions have intensified their impact.

Answer 3

              First and foremost, the claim that “dry vegetation can’t ignite” is blatantly, laughably false. Not only are wildfires a natural occurrence across the globe, but smaller, less disastrous fires are necessary for a continued, healthy, growing ecosystem. Secondly, by reading the replies to that Bluesky comment, it's possible the owner of that original post meant to get across that it is more likely for a person to have started the California fire as opposed to it being a natural occurrence. Regardless of the original intent, a German meteorologist of his renown should fact-check himself before discussing such a sensitive topic because claiming that “dry vegetation can’t ignite” is an incredibly damaging blow to reliability.

Cited Sources:

1.wfca_teila. “Are Wildfires Good for the Environment?” WFCA, 17 Sept. 2024, wfca.com/wildfire-articles/are-wildfires-good-for-the-environment/.