Annual area burnt by wildfires in Kenya
Kenya: Annual area burnt by wildfires was 85,964 hectares in 2026. ◆ Volatile
Annual area burnt by wildfires in Kenya, 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 Kenya stood at 85,964 hectares. That is the lowest value across all 15 years on record.
The figure is down 68.0% on the previous year and down 64.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual area burnt by wildfires in Kenya peaked at 749,386 hectares in 2012 and was at its lowest, 85,964 hectares, in 2026.
That places Kenya 75th 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 Kenya, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 749,386 hectares | — |
| 2013 | 384,195 hectares | -48.7% |
| 2014 | 254,513 hectares | -33.8% |
| 2015 | 366,728 hectares | +44.1% |
| 2016 | 243,690 hectares | -33.6% |
| 2017 | 161,587 hectares | -33.7% |
| 2018 | 125,244 hectares | -22.5% |
| 2019 | 334,120 hectares | +166.8% |
| 2020 | 431,060 hectares | +29.0% |
| 2021 | 373,553 hectares | -13.3% |
| 2022 | 131,839 hectares | -64.7% |
| 2023 | 131,139 hectares | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 208,952 hectares | +59.3% |
| 2025 | 268,588 hectares | +28.5% |
| 2026 | 85,964 hectares | -68.0% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 85,964 hectares is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 156,215 hectares, 55% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 85,964 hectares is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 506,694 hectares, 17% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 327,433 hectares | 125,244 hectares | 749,386 hectares | 8 |
| 2020s | 233,014 hectares | 85,964 hectares | 431,060 hectares | 7 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More reference data data for Kenya
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5379 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 12.22 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 14.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.377 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 14.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 58.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 68.95 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.05 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual area burnt by wildfires in Kenya?
- Annual area burnt by wildfires in Kenya was 85,964 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 Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 749,386 hectares in 2012.
- What is the lowest annual area burnt by wildfires recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 85,964 hectares in 2026.
- How does Kenya rank for annual area burnt by wildfires?
- Kenya ranks 75th out of 248 countries with data for 2026.
- Is annual area burnt by wildfires rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 64.7%. 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. 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 18 September 2026.