Wildfire area burned by land cover type in Canada
Canada: Wildfire area burned by land cover type was 51,776 hectares in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Wildfire area burned by land cover type in Canada, 2002–2025
Source: Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
Canada recorded 51,776 hectares for wildfire area burned by land cover type in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 21.8% on the previous year and up 76.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, wildfire area burned by land cover type in Canada peaked at 192,914 hectares in 2023 and was at its lowest, 3,155 hectares, in 2020.
That places Canada 2nd out of 225 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.
Wildfire area burned by land cover type in Canada, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 54,072 hectares | — |
| 2003 | 32,735 hectares | -39.5% |
| 2004 | 16,829 hectares | -48.6% |
| 2005 | 33,895 hectares | +101.4% |
| 2006 | 25,416 hectares | -25.0% |
| 2007 | 29,000 hectares | +14.1% |
| 2008 | 42,824 hectares | +47.7% |
| 2009 | 7,771 hectares | -81.9% |
| 2010 | 42,524 hectares | +447.2% |
| 2011 | 12,794 hectares | -69.9% |
| 2012 | 18,482 hectares | +44.5% |
| 2013 | 143,306 hectares | +675.4% |
| 2014 | 110,206 hectares | -23.1% |
| 2015 | 29,408 hectares | -73.3% |
| 2016 | 7,663 hectares | -73.9% |
| 2017 | 50,166 hectares | +554.6% |
| 2018 | 17,817 hectares | -64.5% |
| 2019 | 7,771 hectares | -56.4% |
| 2020 | 3,155 hectares | -59.4% |
| 2021 | 45,186 hectares | +1332.0% |
| 2022 | 16,529 hectares | -63.4% |
| 2023 | 192,914 hectares | +1067.1% |
| 2024 | 66,179 hectares | -65.7% |
| 2025 | 51,776 hectares | -21.8% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Wildfire area burned by land cover type in Canada changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +1332.0% | 3,155 hectares | 45,186 hectares |
| 2023 | +1067.1% | 16,529 hectares | 192,914 hectares |
| 2013 | +675.4% | 18,482 hectares | 143,306 hectares |
| 2017 | +554.6% | 7,663 hectares | 50,166 hectares |
| 2010 | +447.2% | 7,771 hectares | 42,524 hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 30,318 hectares | 7,771 hectares | 54,072 hectares | 8 |
| 2010s | 44,014 hectares | 7,663 hectares | 143,306 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 62,623 hectares | 3,155 hectares | 192,914 hectares | 6 |
Countries ranked near Canada
- 1 Zambia 129,868 hectares compare
- 3 Democratic Republic of Congo 39,841 hectares compare
- 4 South Sudan 20,886 hectares compare
- 5 Australia 14,189 hectares compare
More reference data data for Canada
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 20.47 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 20.47 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 6.86 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 7.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 22.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 99.83 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 15.88 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is wildfire area burned by land cover type in Canada?
- Wildfire area burned by land cover type in Canada was 51,776 hectares in 2025, according to Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest wildfire area burned by land cover type recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 192,914 hectares in 2023.
- What is the lowest wildfire area burned by land cover type recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,155 hectares in 2020.
- How does Canada rank for wildfire area burned by land cover type?
- Canada ranks 2nd out of 225 countries with data for 2025.
- Is wildfire area burned by land cover type rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 76.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Wildfire area burned by land cover type. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Area of other land types burnt by wildfires each year, in hectares. Includes wetlands, urban areas, snow and ice, bare ground, and water bodies.