Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per capita in Australia
Australia: Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per capita was 1.69 hectares per person in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per capita in Australia, 2002–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in hectares per person.
Analysis
The most recent figure for area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per capita in Australia is 1.69 hectares per person, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 44.3% on the previous year and up 11.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per capita in Australia peaked at 3.58 hectares per person in 2011 and was at its lowest, 0.4329 hectares per person, in 2020.
Australia ranks 1st of 206 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per capita in Australia, year by year
| Year | hectares per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 3.51 hectares per person | — |
| 2003 | 1.24 hectares per person | -64.8% |
| 2004 | 2.91 hectares per person | +134.8% |
| 2005 | 1.08 hectares per person | -62.8% |
| 2006 | 2.46 hectares per person | +127.1% |
| 2007 | 2.27 hectares per person | -7.5% |
| 2008 | 1.28 hectares per person | -43.9% |
| 2009 | 1.5 hectares per person | +17.6% |
| 2010 | 0.719 hectares per person | -52.1% |
| 2011 | 3.58 hectares per person | +398.3% |
| 2012 | 3.56 hectares per person | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 0.9991 hectares per person | -72.0% |
| 2014 | 1.69 hectares per person | +68.8% |
| 2015 | 1.52 hectares per person | -9.9% |
| 2016 | 0.8132 hectares per person | -46.5% |
| 2017 | 1.82 hectares per person | +123.3% |
| 2018 | 1.88 hectares per person | +3.7% |
| 2019 | 1.04 hectares per person | -44.8% |
| 2020 | 0.4329 hectares per person | -58.3% |
| 2021 | 0.8949 hectares per person | +106.7% |
| 2022 | 0.9568 hectares per person | +6.9% |
| 2023 | 2.52 hectares per person | +163.0% |
| 2024 | 1.17 hectares per person | -53.4% |
| 2025 | 1.69 hectares per person | +44.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.03 hectares per person | 1.08 hectares per person | 3.51 hectares per person | 8 |
| 2010s | 1.76 hectares per person | 0.719 hectares per person | 3.58 hectares per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.28 hectares per person | 0.4329 hectares per person | 2.52 hectares per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More reference data data for Australia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.21 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 28.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 38.41 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 38.41 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 4.07 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 118.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 170.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 13.9 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per capita in Australia?
- Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per capita in Australia was 1.69 hectares per person in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per capita recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 3.58 hectares per person in 2011.
- What is the lowest area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per capita recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4329 hectares per person in 2020.
- How does Australia rank for area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per capita?
- Australia ranks 1st out of 206 countries with data for 2025.
- Is area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per capita rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Area burned by wildfires by land cover type Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.