Annual area burnt by wildfires in China
China: Annual area burnt by wildfires was 2.27 million hectares in 2026. ▼ Falling
Annual area burnt by wildfires in China, 2012–2026
Source: Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
China recorded 2.27 million hectares for annual area burnt by wildfires in 2026.
The figure is down 23.3% on the previous year and down 15.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual area burnt by wildfires in China peaked at 5.54 million hectares in 2014 and was at its lowest, 1.44 million hectares, in 2018.
That places China 16th out of 248 countries with data for 2026, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 15 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 3.37 million hectares | 1.44 million hectares | 5.54 million hectares | 8 |
| 2020s | 2.68 million hectares | 2.27 million hectares | 3.03 million hectares | 7 |
Countries ranked near China
More reference data data for China
- Spring temperature anomalies 1.66 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.0991 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 1.15 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 0 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 1.34 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 2.06 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 132.6 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 0 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual area burnt by wildfires in China?
- Annual area burnt by wildfires in China was 2.27 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 China?
- The highest recorded value was 5.54 million hectares in 2014.
- What is the lowest annual area burnt by wildfires recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.44 million hectares in 2018.
- How does China rank for annual area burnt by wildfires?
- China ranks 16th out of 248 countries with data for 2026.
- Is annual area burnt by wildfires rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China 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.