Average area burnt per wildfire in Australia
Australia: Average area burnt per wildfire was 592.02 hectares in 2026. ▼ Falling
Average area burnt per wildfire in Australia, 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 average area burnt per wildfire in Australia is 592.02 hectares, measured in 2026. That is the lowest value across all 15 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 34.8% on the previous year and down 14.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average area burnt per wildfire in Australia peaked at 1,175 hectares in 2012 and was at its lowest, 592.02 hectares, in 2026.
Australia ranks 7th of 181 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 15 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 894.45 hectares | 695.48 hectares | 1,175 hectares | 8 |
| 2020s | 786.96 hectares | 592.02 hectares | 1,085 hectares | 7 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More reference data data for Australia
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- Summer temperature anomalies 0.8615 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 1.13 °C (2026)
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- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.0026 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.4713 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 148.46 2010 = 100 (2025)
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- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average area burnt per wildfire in Australia?
- Average area burnt per wildfire in Australia was 592.02 hectares in 2026, according to Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average area burnt per wildfire recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 1,175 hectares in 2012.
- What is the lowest average area burnt per wildfire recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 592.02 hectares in 2026.
- How does Australia rank for average area burnt per wildfire?
- Australia ranks 7th out of 181 countries with data for 2026.
- Is average area burnt per wildfire rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Average area burnt per wildfire. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 15 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The average area burnt per wildfire, in hectares. The 2026 data is incomplete and was last updated 07 August 2026.