Annual number of wildfires in Botswana

Botswana: Annual number of wildfires was 340 wildfires in 2026. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2026)
340 wildfires
Change on year
down 69.1%
World rank
65th
of 248 countries
All-time high
4,505 wildfires
in 2023
All-time low
340 wildfires
in 2026
Years of data
15
2012–2026

Annual number of wildfires in Botswana, 2012–2026

01.0k2.0k3.0k4.0k5.0k2012201920262012: 2.1k wildfires2013: 2.0k wildfires2014: 1.4k wildfires2015: 1.5k wildfires2016: 1.0k wildfires2017: 2.3k wildfires2018: 1.5k wildfires2019: 1.1k wildfires2020: 1.5k wildfires2021: 4.4k wildfires2022: 3.3k wildfires2023: 4.5k wildfires2024: 1.1k wildfires2025: 1.1k wildfires2026: 340 wildfires

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

Analysis

In 2026, annual number of wildfires in Botswana stood at 340 wildfires. That is the lowest value across all 15 years on record.

The figure is down 69.1% on the previous year and down 66.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, annual number of wildfires in Botswana peaked at 4,505 wildfires in 2023 and was at its lowest, 340 wildfires, in 2026.

That places Botswana 65th out of 248 countries with data for 2026, putting it in the middle of the range.

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

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 1,597 wildfires 1,011 wildfires 2,255 wildfires 8
2020s 2,312 wildfires 340 wildfires 4,505 wildfires 7

Countries ranked near Botswana

  1. 62 Bangladesh 421 wildfires compare
  2. 63 Gabon 406 wildfires compare
  3. 64 Pakistan 376 wildfires compare
  4. 66 France 334 wildfires compare
  5. 67 Malawi 326 wildfires compare
  6. 68 Iraq 313 wildfires compare

See the full ranking of 248 places →

More reference data data for Botswana

All data for Botswana →

Frequently asked questions

What is annual number of wildfires in Botswana?
Annual number of wildfires in Botswana was 340 wildfires in 2026, according to Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest annual number of wildfires recorded in Botswana?
The highest recorded value was 4,505 wildfires in 2023.
What is the lowest annual number of wildfires recorded in Botswana?
The lowest recorded value was 340 wildfires in 2026.
How does Botswana rank for annual number of wildfires?
Botswana ranks 65th out of 248 countries with data for 2026.
Is annual number of wildfires rising or falling in Botswana?
Over the last ten years it is down 66.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Botswana 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 number of wildfires. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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CSV · JSON — 15 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Annual number of wildfires
Unit
wildfires
Source
Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
248 places, 3,720 data points, 2012–2026
Last refreshed

Number of wildfires. The 2026 data is incomplete and was last updated 07 August 2026.