Annual area burnt by wildfires by region in Kenya
Kenya: Annual area burnt by wildfires by region was 352,019 hectares in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Annual area burnt by wildfires by region in Kenya, 2002–2024
Source: Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
In 2024, annual area burnt by wildfires by region in Kenya stood at 352,019 hectares.
The figure is up 308.4% on the previous year and up 89.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual area burnt by wildfires by region in Kenya peaked at 861,812 hectares in 2012 and was at its lowest, 54,244 hectares, in 2017.
That places Kenya 59th out of 225 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 323,775 hectares | 93,742 hectares | 784,577 hectares | 8 |
| 2010s | 250,900 hectares | 54,244 hectares | 861,812 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 267,362 hectares | 86,186 hectares | 537,334 hectares | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More reference data data for Kenya
- Spring temperature anomalies -1.09 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.7428 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.7503 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.5834 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 1.22 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 267.82 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual area burnt by wildfires by region in Kenya?
- Annual area burnt by wildfires by region in Kenya was 352,019 hectares in 2024, according to Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual area burnt by wildfires by region recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 861,812 hectares in 2012.
- What is the lowest annual area burnt by wildfires by region recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 54,244 hectares in 2017.
- How does Kenya rank for annual area burnt by wildfires by region?
- Kenya ranks 59th out of 225 countries with data for 2024.
- Is annual area burnt by wildfires by region rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 89.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual area burnt by wildfires by region. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 23 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total land area burnt by wildfires each year, in hectares, across all land cover types.