Mexico vs South Africa: Annual area burnt per wildfire vs. number of fires
Mexico
4,208 wildfires
in 2026
South Africa
4,592 wildfires
in 2026
Mexico rank
27th
South Africa rank
23rd
Annual area burnt per wildfire vs. number of fires over time
- Mexico
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 4,592 wildfires against 4,208 wildfires in Mexico, a difference of 384 wildfires.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times Mexico's.
The two have swapped places 7 times across 15 shared years of data; in 2012 it was Mexico ahead.
Mexico ranks 27th and South Africa ranks 23rd 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 | 13,761 wildfires | 11,395 wildfires | 2,366 wildfires | Mexico |
| 2020s | 10,707 wildfires | 9,984 wildfires | 722.71 wildfires | Mexico |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher annual area burnt per wildfire vs. number of fires, Mexico or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 4,592 wildfires against 4,208 wildfires in Mexico as of 2026.
- What is the difference in annual area burnt per wildfire vs. number of fires between Mexico and South Africa?
- 384 wildfires, 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 per wildfire vs. number of fires?
- Mexico ranks 27th and South Africa ranks 23rd of 248 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Annual area burnt per wildfire vs. number of fires. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Number of wildfires. The 2026 data is incomplete and was last updated 28 August 2026.