<p>Wetlands are critical ecosystems that regulate hydrology, support biodiversity, and sustain livelihoods, yet they are increasingly threatened by land use change, hydrological alteration, and fire. Fire can act as both a natural process and a destructive force in wetlands, shaping vegetation dynamics and the provision of ecosystem services. Despite their ecological importance, few studies have assessed how human activities, hydroclimatic variability, and policy interventions jointly influence fire regimes in wetlands. We evaluated how land use, hydrology, and public policies interact to shape fire dynamics in the Paraná River Delta in Argentina, one of South America’s most important wetlands and among those with the highest fire density over the past two decades. We analyzed burned-area patterns from 2001 to 2020 using satellite data (Fire_CCI) combined with hydrological and socioeconomic indicators. Over 40% of the delta burned at least once during this period. Fire activity declined markedly after the implementation of national fire-control policies (2009–2019; an 85% reduction relative to 2001–2008) but increased again in 2020 during an extreme drought and the COVID-19 lockdown. Burned area was negatively related to precipitation, surface water, and river discharge, and was higher near livestock farms and farther from forest plantations, cities, and control checkpoints. These findings show that wetland fire regimes emerge from interactions among human land use, hydroclimatic extremes, and policy enforcement. More broadly, they highlight that fire management in wetlands requires integrated strategies that couple hydrological monitoring, land use planning, and effective governance to build resilience under changing climate conditions.</p>