Annual area burnt by wildfires in Canada
Canada: Annual area burnt by wildfires was 2.17 million hectares in 2026. ◆ Volatile
Annual area burnt by wildfires in Canada, 2012–2026
Source: Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual area burnt by wildfires in Canada is 2.17 million hectares, measured in 2026.
That represents a change of down 70.5% on the previous year and up 39.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual area burnt by wildfires in Canada peaked at 14.90 million hectares in 2023 and was at its lowest, 611,974 hectares, in 2020.
Canada ranks 18th of 248 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 3.13 million hectares | 1.55 million hectares | 4.38 million hectares | 8 |
| 2020s | 5.20 million hectares | 611,974 hectares | 14.90 million hectares | 7 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More reference data data for Canada
- Spring temperature anomalies -4.58 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 1.7 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 2.12 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 2.47 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies -2.57 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 140.97 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 in Canada?
- Annual area burnt by wildfires in Canada was 2.17 million hectares in 2026, according to Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual area burnt by wildfires recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 14.90 million hectares in 2023.
- What is the lowest annual area burnt by wildfires recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 611,974 hectares in 2020.
- How does Canada rank for annual area burnt by wildfires?
- Canada ranks 18th out of 248 countries with data for 2026.
- Is annual area burnt by wildfires rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 39.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Canada 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. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Area burnt by wildfires in hectares. The 2026 data is incomplete and was last updated 07 August 2026.