Annual area burnt by wildfires in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Annual area burnt by wildfires was 6,342 hectares in 2026. ◆ Volatile
Annual area burnt by wildfires in Sri Lanka, 2012–2026
Source: Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 6,342 hectares for annual area burnt by wildfires in 2026. That is the lowest value across all 15 years on record.
The figure is down 65.3% on the previous year and down 90.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual area burnt by wildfires in Sri Lanka peaked at 88,177 hectares in 2012 and was at its lowest, 6,342 hectares, in 2026.
Sri Lanka ranks 110th 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 56,131 hectares | 26,127 hectares | 88,177 hectares | 8 |
| 2020s | 22,243 hectares | 6,342 hectares | 42,241 hectares | 7 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More reference data data for Sri Lanka
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Frequently asked questions
- What is annual area burnt by wildfires in Sri Lanka?
- Annual area burnt by wildfires in Sri Lanka was 6,342 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 88,177 hectares in 2012.
- What is the lowest annual area burnt by wildfires recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 6,342 hectares in 2026.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for annual area burnt by wildfires?
- Sri Lanka ranks 110th out of 248 countries with data for 2026.
- Is annual area burnt by wildfires rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 90.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.