Annual area burnt by wildfires by region in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Annual area burnt by wildfires by region was 1,224 hectares in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Annual area burnt by wildfires by region in Sri Lanka, 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 Sri Lanka stood at 1,224 hectares. That is the lowest value across all 23 years on record.
The figure is down 88.1% on the previous year and down 95.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual area burnt by wildfires by region in Sri Lanka peaked at 90,779 hectares in 2005 and was at its lowest, 1,224 hectares, in 2024.
That places Sri Lanka 132nd 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 | 60,271 hectares | 37,973 hectares | 90,779 hectares | 8 |
| 2010s | 24,656 hectares | 2,791 hectares | 56,455 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 4,761 hectares | 1,224 hectares | 10,282 hectares | 5 |
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Frequently asked questions
- What is annual area burnt by wildfires by region in Sri Lanka?
- Annual area burnt by wildfires by region in Sri Lanka was 1,224 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 90,779 hectares in 2005.
- What is the lowest annual area burnt by wildfires by region recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,224 hectares in 2024.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for annual area burnt by wildfires by region?
- Sri Lanka ranks 132nd out of 225 countries with data for 2024.
- Is annual area burnt by wildfires by region rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 95.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.
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About this data
Total land area burnt by wildfires each year, in hectares, across all land cover types.