Annual area burnt per wildfire vs. number of fires in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Annual area burnt per wildfire vs. number of fires was 2,198 wildfires in 2026. ▼ Falling
Annual area burnt per wildfire vs. number of fires in Zimbabwe, 2012–2026
Source: Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in wildfires.
Analysis
In 2026, annual area burnt per wildfire vs. number of fires in Zimbabwe stood at 2,198 wildfires. That is the lowest value across all 15 years on record.
The figure is down 24.2% on the previous year and down 61.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual area burnt per wildfire vs. number of fires in Zimbabwe peaked at 8,037 wildfires in 2012 and was at its lowest, 2,198 wildfires, in 2026.
That places Zimbabwe 41st out of 248 countries with data for 2026, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 15 years of available data.
Annual area burnt per wildfire vs. number of fires in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | wildfires | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 8,037 wildfires | — |
| 2013 | 6,875 wildfires | -14.5% |
| 2014 | 7,462 wildfires | +8.5% |
| 2015 | 7,668 wildfires | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 5,755 wildfires | -24.9% |
| 2017 | 6,152 wildfires | +6.9% |
| 2018 | 7,894 wildfires | +28.3% |
| 2019 | 7,210 wildfires | -8.7% |
| 2020 | 3,640 wildfires | -49.5% |
| 2021 | 6,166 wildfires | +69.4% |
| 2022 | 7,159 wildfires | +16.1% |
| 2023 | 7,111 wildfires | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 3,269 wildfires | -54.0% |
| 2025 | 2,901 wildfires | -11.3% |
| 2026 | 2,198 wildfires | -24.2% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 2,198 wildfires is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 625 wildfires, 3.5× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 2,198 wildfires is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1,344 wildfires, 1.6× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 7,132 wildfires | 5,755 wildfires | 8,037 wildfires | 8 |
| 2020s | 4,635 wildfires | 2,198 wildfires | 7,159 wildfires | 7 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More reference data data for Zimbabwe
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Exchange rate, old LCU per USD extended forward, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Political opposition, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament and government, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Global number of reported disasters by size, gaps filled 0 events (2024)
- Annual precipitation, annual growth rate 122.78 % change on previous year (2025)
- Free country, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, gaps filled 5 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual area burnt per wildfire vs. number of fires in Zimbabwe?
- Annual area burnt per wildfire vs. number of fires in Zimbabwe was 2,198 wildfires in 2026, according to Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual area burnt per wildfire vs. number of fires recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 8,037 wildfires in 2012.
- What is the lowest annual area burnt per wildfire vs. number of fires recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,198 wildfires in 2026.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for annual area burnt per wildfire vs. number of fires?
- Zimbabwe ranks 41st out of 248 countries with data for 2026.
- Is annual area burnt per wildfire vs. number of fires rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 61.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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 per wildfire vs. number of fires. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of wildfires. The 2026 data is incomplete and was last updated 18 September 2026.