When Nature Sets the Rules: The Impact of California Wildfires on TheMahjong.com

In January, major wildfires broke out in several areas of California, already covering 163 square kilometers. As of now, it's still not over—new fires continue to break out from time to time, and recently, this has become a part of everyday life in the state. In this analysis, we would like to examine how interest in online gaming has changed during the wildfire periods, using TheMahjong.com as a case study.

The Impact on Gaming

The negative effect of California wildfires on nature, infrastructure, and the economy is obvious. However, in this article, we will focus on the gaming industry, particularly online gaming.

Many reports indicate that wildfires have affected game development and other entertainment industries. Companies in California, such as Blizzard Entertainment and Riot Games, have reported problems due to evacuations and power outages. Other entertainment sectors have also been affected—for instance, Amazon Prime TV has announced a delay in filming the second season of its popular Fallout series due to fires in Southern California (source: Gamerant).

Besides game production slowdowns, research suggests a 15–20% decline in online gaming activity during wildfires (source: Newzoo).

According to TheMahjong.com statistics, we can see how this affected online website visitor trends during active fire periods:

• Approx. 15% drop in traffic during peak wildfire activity,
• Approx. 10% decrease in engagement time per user, meaning the average user spent less time on the site.

Average user engagement in California compared to the US.

The graph above illustrates how the average engagement time per active user in California declined compared to the national US average after the fires began. We believe that this pattern may apply to other online games as well, as user behavior tends to be similar across platforms.

Staying Safe & Useful Online Resources

Given these trends, the decline in gaming engagement is clear—as safety becomes the top priority.

Stay informed by following official warnings and evacuation plans. It’s also wise to prepare an emergency bag with essential documents and supplies. Here are some key resources for tracking wildfires and air quality:

• Cal Fire – Official site providing real-time fire updates and evacuation maps,
• AirNow – Get air quality data for your area,
• Incident Information System – Interagency all-risk incident information management.

By staying aware and prepared, you can better navigate wildfire situations while ensuring your own safety and the safety of your family.