Annual area burnt by wildfires in Namibia
Namibia: Annual area burnt by wildfires was 712,464 hectares in 2026. ◆ Volatile
Annual area burnt by wildfires in Namibia, 2012–2026
Source: Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
Namibia recorded 712,464 hectares for annual area burnt by wildfires in 2026.
The figure is down 14.0% on the previous year and down 48.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual area burnt by wildfires in Namibia peaked at 5.01 million hectares in 2012 and was at its lowest, 653,486 hectares, in 2024.
That places Namibia 39th out of 248 countries with data for 2026, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual area burnt by wildfires in Namibia, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 5.01 million hectares | — |
| 2013 | 2.19 million hectares | -56.2% |
| 2014 | 1.48 million hectares | -32.6% |
| 2015 | 1.66 million hectares | +12.4% |
| 2016 | 1.39 million hectares | -16.1% |
| 2017 | 1.72 million hectares | +23.2% |
| 2018 | 1.14 million hectares | -33.8% |
| 2019 | 693,253 hectares | -39.1% |
| 2020 | 1.93 million hectares | +178.0% |
| 2021 | 2.15 million hectares | +11.3% |
| 2022 | 1.64 million hectares | -23.5% |
| 2023 | 1.70 million hectares | +3.5% |
| 2024 | 653,486 hectares | -61.6% |
| 2025 | 828,871 hectares | +26.8% |
| 2026 | 712,464 hectares | -14.0% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 712,464 hectares is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 156,215 hectares, 4.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 712,464 hectares is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 506,694 hectares, 1.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 1.91 million hectares | 693,253 hectares | 5.01 million hectares | 8 |
| 2020s | 1.37 million hectares | 653,486 hectares | 2.15 million hectares | 7 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
- 36 Argentina 835,359 hectares compare
- 37 Papua New Guinea 739,439 hectares compare
- 38 Sierra Leone 731,535 hectares compare
- 40 Uganda 639,207 hectares compare
- 41 Zimbabwe 627,997 hectares compare
- 42 Kazakhstan 623,531 hectares compare
More reference data data for Namibia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0579 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.52 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0157 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.194 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1306 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 6.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.82 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0853 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual area burnt by wildfires in Namibia?
- Annual area burnt by wildfires in Namibia was 712,464 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 Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 5.01 million hectares in 2012.
- What is the lowest annual area burnt by wildfires recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 653,486 hectares in 2024.
- How does Namibia rank for annual area burnt by wildfires?
- Namibia ranks 39th out of 248 countries with data for 2026.
- Is annual area burnt by wildfires rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 48.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Namibia 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.