Mexico vs South Africa: Annual area burnt by wildfires
Mexico
1.33 million hectares
in 2026
South Africa
1.36 million hectares
in 2026
Mexico rank
29th
South Africa rank
27th
Annual area burnt by wildfires over time
- Mexico
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 1.36 million hectares against 1.33 million hectares in Mexico, a difference of 31,540 hectares.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 15 shared years of data; in 2012 it was Mexico ahead.
Mexico ranks 29th and South Africa ranks 27th of 248 countries.
Mexico has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Mexico | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 4.52 million hectares | 3.35 million hectares | 1.17 million hectares | Mexico |
| 2020s | 3.65 million hectares | 2.96 million hectares | 694,451 hectares | Mexico |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher annual area burnt by wildfires, Mexico or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 1.36 million hectares against 1.33 million hectares in Mexico as of 2026.
- What is the difference in annual area burnt by wildfires between Mexico and South Africa?
- 31,540 hectares, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Mexico and South Africa?
- 15 years are reported by both, from 2012 to 2026.
- How do Mexico and South Africa rank globally for annual area burnt by wildfires?
- Mexico ranks 29th and South Africa ranks 27th of 248 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Global Wildfire Information System (2026) β with minor processing by 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.
Individual pages
About this data
Area burnt by wildfires in hectares. The 2026 data is incomplete and was last updated 18 September 2026.