The spatial patterns of climate-fire relationships on the Mongolian Plateau

•Fire responds differently to concurrent and antecedent climatic conditions.•Humid conditions boost burned areas in arid ecoregions, largely in grasslands.•Fuel accumulation plays a key role in controlling fire regimes across ecoregions.•Moisture and vegetation productivity mediate the climate-fire relationships.•Climate explained 21.53% of the variation in the burned area on average.