Sustainable　development　in　ecologically　fragile　areas　(EFAs)　has　faced　significant　challenges　in　recent　years,　but　the　traditional　analytical　approaches　fail　to　provide　an　ideal　assessment　for　ecological　performance　due　to　spatiotemporal　variability　in　EFAs.　This　paper　evaluates　the　ecological　performance　of　EFAs　based　on　a　modified　ecological　footprint　model,　and　ecological　footprint　intensity　(EFI)　is　considered　an　essential　indicator　to　measure　ecological　performance,　especially　for　EFAs.　Empirically,　taking　the　Π-shaped　Curve　Area　in　the　Yellow　River　basin　of　China　as　the　study　area,　the　spatiotemporal　heterogeneity　of　EFI　of　17　cities　in　the　area　is　analyzed.　Then,　the　extended　STIRPAT　and　geographically　and　temporally　weighted　regression　(GTWR)　models　are　employed　to　explore　the　spatiotemporal　heterogeneity　of　the　factors　driving　EFI.　The　results　show　that　from　2006　to　2019,　the　overall　level　of　EFI　in　the　area　has　decreased;　EFI　of　the　area　offers　a　significant　spatial　agglomeration　effect;　results　of　the　GTWR　model　suggest　that　factors　driving　EFI　have　spatiotemporal　heterogeneity;　the　impact　of　population　size,　openness,　marketization,　technology,　industrial　structure　rationalization,　and　information　communication　level　on　EFI　was　two-sided,　while　that　of　affluence,　government　scale,　environmental　regulation,　and　industrial　structure　advancement　show　inhibitory　impact　with　the　intensity　of　inhibition　varying　across　periods　and　cities.　©　2023,　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer-Verlag　GmbH　Germany,　part　of　Springer　Nature.