Annual area burnt by wildfires in Italy
Italy: Annual area burnt by wildfires was 133,510 hectares in 2026. ◆ Volatile
Annual area burnt by wildfires in Italy, 2012–2026
Source: Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
In 2026, annual area burnt by wildfires in Italy stood at 133,510 hectares.
That represents a change of up 4.3% on the previous year and up 14.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual area burnt by wildfires in Italy peaked at 342,084 hectares in 2017 and was at its lowest, 61,279 hectares, in 2018.
That places Italy 66th out of 248 countries with data for 2026, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual area burnt by wildfires in Italy, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 283,320 hectares | — |
| 2013 | 92,330 hectares | -67.4% |
| 2014 | 106,717 hectares | +15.6% |
| 2015 | 107,517 hectares | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 116,890 hectares | +8.7% |
| 2017 | 342,084 hectares | +192.7% |
| 2018 | 61,279 hectares | -82.1% |
| 2019 | 115,769 hectares | +88.9% |
| 2020 | 108,044 hectares | -6.7% |
| 2021 | 247,622 hectares | +129.2% |
| 2022 | 136,724 hectares | -44.8% |
| 2023 | 172,082 hectares | +25.9% |
| 2024 | 74,602 hectares | -56.6% |
| 2025 | 128,023 hectares | +71.6% |
| 2026 | 133,510 hectares | +4.3% |
Italy compared with similar countries
- Italy's 133,510 hectares is above the median for high income countries, which is 273 hectares, 489.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Italy's 133,510 hectares is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3,034 hectares, 44.0× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 153,238 hectares | 61,279 hectares | 342,084 hectares | 8 |
| 2020s | 142,944 hectares | 74,602 hectares | 247,622 hectares | 7 |
Countries ranked near Italy
More reference data data for Italy
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.48 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 8.94 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.927 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 8.94 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 8.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 5.21 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 6.51 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 41.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 5.05 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual area burnt by wildfires in Italy?
- Annual area burnt by wildfires in Italy was 133,510 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 Italy?
- The highest recorded value was 342,084 hectares in 2017.
- What is the lowest annual area burnt by wildfires recorded in Italy?
- The lowest recorded value was 61,279 hectares in 2018.
- How does Italy rank for annual area burnt by wildfires?
- Italy ranks 66th out of 248 countries with data for 2026.
- Is annual area burnt by wildfires rising or falling in Italy?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Italy 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.
Download this data
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About this data
Area burnt by wildfires in hectares. The 2026 data is incomplete and was last updated 18 September 2026.