Annual area burnt by wildfires in Vanuatu
Vanuatu: Annual area burnt by wildfires was 13,133 hectares in 2026. ◆ Volatile
Annual area burnt by wildfires in Vanuatu, 2012–2026
Source: Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual area burnt by wildfires in Vanuatu is 13,133 hectares, measured in 2026.
That represents a change of up 213.4% on the previous year and down 59.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual area burnt by wildfires in Vanuatu peaked at 40,758 hectares in 2015 and was at its lowest, 4,191 hectares, in 2025.
That places Vanuatu 107th 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 Vanuatu, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 24,288 hectares | — |
| 2013 | 31,294 hectares | +28.8% |
| 2014 | 31,815 hectares | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 40,758 hectares | +28.1% |
| 2016 | 32,230 hectares | -20.9% |
| 2017 | 34,176 hectares | +6.0% |
| 2018 | 32,541 hectares | -4.8% |
| 2019 | 11,820 hectares | -63.7% |
| 2020 | 10,819 hectares | -8.5% |
| 2021 | 7,793 hectares | -28.0% |
| 2022 | 8,003 hectares | +2.7% |
| 2023 | 10,025 hectares | +25.3% |
| 2024 | 7,152 hectares | -28.7% |
| 2025 | 4,191 hectares | -41.4% |
| 2026 | 13,133 hectares | +213.4% |
Vanuatu compared with similar countries
- Vanuatu's 13,133 hectares is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 156,215 hectares, 8% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Vanuatu's 13,133 hectares is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2,872 hectares, 4.6× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 29,865 hectares | 11,820 hectares | 40,758 hectares | 8 |
| 2020s | 8,731 hectares | 4,191 hectares | 13,133 hectares | 7 |
Countries ranked near Vanuatu
More reference data data for Vanuatu
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0174 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0819 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.0994 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0001 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.0994 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0583 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0658 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.4612 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.5857 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0003 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual area burnt by wildfires in Vanuatu?
- Annual area burnt by wildfires in Vanuatu was 13,133 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 Vanuatu?
- The highest recorded value was 40,758 hectares in 2015.
- What is the lowest annual area burnt by wildfires recorded in Vanuatu?
- The lowest recorded value was 4,191 hectares in 2025.
- How does Vanuatu rank for annual area burnt by wildfires?
- Vanuatu ranks 107th out of 248 countries with data for 2026.
- Is annual area burnt by wildfires rising or falling in Vanuatu?
- Over the last ten years it is down 59.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Vanuatu 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.