Annual area burnt by wildfires in Malaysia
Malaysia: Annual area burnt by wildfires was 58,816 hectares in 2026. ◆ Volatile
Annual area burnt by wildfires in Malaysia, 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 Malaysia stood at 58,816 hectares.
The figure is up 56.0% on the previous year and down 81.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual area burnt by wildfires in Malaysia peaked at 452,615 hectares in 2014 and was at its lowest, 23,451 hectares, in 2022.
Malaysia ranks 79th of 248 countries on this measure, 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 Malaysia, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 263,111 hectares | — |
| 2013 | 216,950 hectares | -17.5% |
| 2014 | 452,615 hectares | +108.6% |
| 2015 | 287,224 hectares | -36.5% |
| 2016 | 316,499 hectares | +10.2% |
| 2017 | 44,343 hectares | -86.0% |
| 2018 | 125,435 hectares | +182.9% |
| 2019 | 197,552 hectares | +57.5% |
| 2020 | 68,432 hectares | -65.4% |
| 2021 | 46,715 hectares | -31.7% |
| 2022 | 23,451 hectares | -49.8% |
| 2023 | 41,233 hectares | +75.8% |
| 2024 | 106,889 hectares | +159.2% |
| 2025 | 37,702 hectares | -64.7% |
| 2026 | 58,816 hectares | +56.0% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 58,816 hectares is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 38,000 hectares, 1.5× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 58,816 hectares is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2,872 hectares, 20.5× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 237,966 hectares | 44,343 hectares | 452,615 hectares | 8 |
| 2020s | 54,748 hectares | 23,451 hectares | 106,889 hectares | 7 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More reference data data for Malaysia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.7102 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.5869 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 4.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1487 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 4.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.38 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.64 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 21.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.8098 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual area burnt by wildfires in Malaysia?
- Annual area burnt by wildfires in Malaysia was 58,816 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 Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 452,615 hectares in 2014.
- What is the lowest annual area burnt by wildfires recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 23,451 hectares in 2022.
- How does Malaysia rank for annual area burnt by wildfires?
- Malaysia ranks 79th out of 248 countries with data for 2026.
- Is annual area burnt by wildfires rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 81.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malaysia 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.