Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Canada
Canada: Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre was 0.0647 hectares per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Canada, 2002–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in hectares per square kilometre.
Analysis
Canada recorded 0.0647 hectares per square kilometre for area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in 2023. That is the highest value across all 22 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1,051.5% on the previous year and up 402.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Canada peaked at 0.0647 hectares per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.0013 hectares per square kilometre, in 2020.
That places Canada 81st out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
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 square kilometre in Canada, year by year
| Year | hectares per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 0.0087 hectares per square kilometre | — |
| 2003 | 0.0109 hectares per square kilometre | +24.6% |
| 2004 | 0.0111 hectares per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2005 | 0.0053 hectares per square kilometre | -52.3% |
| 2006 | 0.0101 hectares per square kilometre | +90.5% |
| 2007 | 0.0051 hectares per square kilometre | -48.8% |
| 2008 | 0.0027 hectares per square kilometre | -48.4% |
| 2009 | 0.0054 hectares per square kilometre | +105.0% |
| 2010 | 0.0086 hectares per square kilometre | +57.3% |
| 2011 | 0.0101 hectares per square kilometre | +17.5% |
| 2012 | 0.0102 hectares per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 0.0129 hectares per square kilometre | +26.4% |
| 2014 | 0.0186 hectares per square kilometre | +44.5% |
| 2015 | 0.0107 hectares per square kilometre | -42.5% |
| 2016 | 0.003 hectares per square kilometre | -71.6% |
| 2017 | 0.02 hectares per square kilometre | +557.6% |
| 2018 | 0.0103 hectares per square kilometre | -48.3% |
| 2019 | 0.0029 hectares per square kilometre | -72.3% |
| 2020 | 0.0013 hectares per square kilometre | -54.8% |
| 2021 | 0.0116 hectares per square kilometre | +800.5% |
| 2022 | 0.0056 hectares per square kilometre | -51.8% |
| 2023 | 0.0647 hectares per square kilometre | +1051.5% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | +1051.5% | 0.0056 hectares per square kilometre | 0.0647 hectares per square kilometre |
| 2021 | +800.5% | 0.0013 hectares per square kilometre | 0.0116 hectares per square kilometre |
| 2017 | +557.6% | 0.003 hectares per square kilometre | 0.02 hectares per square kilometre |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 0.0074 hectares per square kilometre | 0.0027 hectares per square kilometre | 0.0111 hectares per square kilometre | 8 |
| 2010s | 0.0107 hectares per square kilometre | 0.0029 hectares per square kilometre | 0.02 hectares per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0208 hectares per square kilometre | 0.0013 hectares per square kilometre | 0.0647 hectares per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Canada
- 78 Nepal 0.0755 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 79 United States 0.0708 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 80 Bulgaria 0.0678 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 82 Armenia 0.0639 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 83 India 0.0593 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 84 Italy 0.0592 hectares per square kilometre 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 area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Canada?
- Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Canada was 0.0647 hectares per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 0.0647 hectares per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0013 hectares per square kilometre in 2020.
- How does Canada rank for area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre?
- Canada ranks 81st out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 402.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 22 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 Land area (sq. km), 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 ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Area burned by wildfires by land cover type Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
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 Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.