Wildfire area burned by land cover type in China
China: Wildfire area burned by land cover type was 2,340 hectares in 2024. ▼ Falling
Wildfire area burned by land cover type in China, 2002–2024
Source: Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
The most recent figure for wildfire area burned by land cover type in China is 2,340 hectares, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 26.7% on the previous year and down 12.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, wildfire area burned by land cover type in China peaked at 3,971 hectares in 2017 and was at its lowest, 472.25 hectares, in 2020.
That places China 35th out of 225 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 23 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2,318 hectares | 1,481 hectares | 3,091 hectares | 8 |
| 2010s | 1,932 hectares | 665.44 hectares | 3,971 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,275 hectares | 472.25 hectares | 2,340 hectares | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More reference data data for China
- Spring temperature anomalies 1.66 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.0991 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 1.15 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 0 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 1.34 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 2.06 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 132.6 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 0 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is wildfire area burned by land cover type in China?
- Wildfire area burned by land cover type in China was 2,340 hectares in 2024, 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 China?
- The highest recorded value was 3,971 hectares in 2017.
- What is the lowest wildfire area burned by land cover type recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 472.25 hectares in 2020.
- How does China rank for wildfire area burned by land cover type?
- China ranks 35th out of 225 countries with data for 2024.
- Is wildfire area burned by land cover type rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 23 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.