Average area burnt per wildfire in Iceland

Iceland: Average area burnt per wildfire was 793.25 hectares in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
793.25 hectares
Change on year
down 17.5%
World rank
4th
of 181 countries
All-time high
961.9 hectares
in 2024
All-time low
58 hectares
in 2012
Years of data
13
2012–2025

Average area burnt per wildfire in Iceland, 2012–2025

02004006008001.0k2012201820252012: 58 hectares2013: 82.3 hectares2014: 513.2 hectares2015: 178.5 hectares2016: 71 hectares2018: 60.8 hectares2019: 66 hectares2020: 101 hectares2021: 943.4 hectares2022: 234.1 hectares2023: 875 hectares2024: 961.9 hectares2025: 793.2 hectares

Source: Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.

Analysis

Iceland recorded 793.25 hectares for average area burnt per wildfire in 2025.

The figure is down 17.5% on the previous year and up 344.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, average area burnt per wildfire in Iceland peaked at 961.9 hectares in 2024 and was at its lowest, 58 hectares, in 2012.

That places Iceland 4th out of 181 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 147.11 hectares 58 hectares 513.16 hectares 7
2020s 651.43 hectares 101 hectares 961.9 hectares 6

Countries ranked near Iceland

  1. 1 Reunion 1,369 hectares compare
  2. 2 Greece 851.39 hectares compare
  3. 3 Canada 807.13 hectares compare
  4. 5 Cyprus 654.5 hectares compare
  5. 6 Botswana 609.96 hectares compare
  6. 7 Australia 592.02 hectares compare

See the full ranking of 181 places →

More reference data data for Iceland

All data for Iceland →

Frequently asked questions

What is average area burnt per wildfire in Iceland?
Average area burnt per wildfire in Iceland was 793.25 hectares in 2025, 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 Iceland?
The highest recorded value was 961.9 hectares in 2024.
What is the lowest average area burnt per wildfire recorded in Iceland?
The lowest recorded value was 58 hectares in 2012.
How does Iceland rank for average area burnt per wildfire?
Iceland ranks 4th out of 181 countries with data for 2025.
Is average area burnt per wildfire rising or falling in Iceland?
Over the last ten years it is up 344.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Iceland 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.

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About this data

Indicator
Average area burnt per wildfire
Unit
hectares
Source
Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
181 places, 2,589 data points, 2012–2026
Last refreshed

The average area burnt per wildfire, in hectares. The 2026 data is incomplete and was last updated 07 August 2026.