China vs United States: Annual area burnt by wildfires
China
2.27 million
in 2026
United States
2.65 million
in 2026
China rank
16th
United States rank
14th
Annual area burnt by wildfires over time
- China
- United States
How they compare
United States currently reports 2.65 million against 2.27 million in China, a difference of 384,390.
That makes United States's figure about 1.2 times China's.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 15 shared years of data; in 2012 it was United States ahead.
China ranks 16th and United States ranks 14th of 248 countries.
United States has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 3.37 million | 5.63 million | 2.25 million | United States |
| 2020s | 2.68 million | 4.90 million | 2.22 million | United States |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher annual area burnt by wildfires, China or United States?
- United States, at 2.65 million against 2.27 million in China as of 2026.
- What is the difference in annual area burnt by wildfires between China and United States?
- 384,390, with United States ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and United States?
- 15 years are reported by both, from 2012 to 2026.
- How do China and United States rank globally for annual area burnt by wildfires?
- China ranks 16th and United States ranks 14th of 248 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Our World in Data, published as Annual area burnt by wildfires. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.