Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in South Africa
South Africa: Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre was 4.32 hectares per square kilometre in 2023. ▼ Falling
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in South Africa, 2002–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in hectares per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in South Africa is 4.32 hectares per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 22 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 71.0% on the previous year and up 54.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in South Africa peaked at 4.32 hectares per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.13 hectares per square kilometre, in 2016.
South Africa ranks 15th of 206 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in South Africa, year by year
| Year | hectares per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 3.92 hectares per square kilometre | — |
| 2003 | 2.68 hectares per square kilometre | -31.6% |
| 2004 | 2.31 hectares per square kilometre | -13.7% |
| 2005 | 3.78 hectares per square kilometre | +63.5% |
| 2006 | 2.74 hectares per square kilometre | -27.4% |
| 2007 | 2.97 hectares per square kilometre | +8.2% |
| 2008 | 2.99 hectares per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 2.97 hectares per square kilometre | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 3.41 hectares per square kilometre | +14.8% |
| 2011 | 3.26 hectares per square kilometre | -4.2% |
| 2012 | 2.95 hectares per square kilometre | -9.5% |
| 2013 | 2.8 hectares per square kilometre | -5.0% |
| 2014 | 2.8 hectares per square kilometre | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 2 hectares per square kilometre | -28.6% |
| 2016 | 1.13 hectares per square kilometre | -43.8% |
| 2017 | 2.23 hectares per square kilometre | +98.0% |
| 2018 | 2.26 hectares per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 2.03 hectares per square kilometre | -10.0% |
| 2020 | 2.17 hectares per square kilometre | +6.6% |
| 2021 | 3.83 hectares per square kilometre | +76.6% |
| 2022 | 2.53 hectares per square kilometre | -34.0% |
| 2023 | 4.32 hectares per square kilometre | +71.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.04 hectares per square kilometre | 2.31 hectares per square kilometre | 3.92 hectares per square kilometre | 8 |
| 2010s | 2.49 hectares per square kilometre | 1.13 hectares per square kilometre | 3.41 hectares per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.21 hectares per square kilometre | 2.17 hectares per square kilometre | 4.32 hectares per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 12 Mali 4.83 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 13 Madagascar 4.47 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 14 Togo 4.4 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 16 Zimbabwe 4.31 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 17 Chad 4.29 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 18 Central African Republic 3.62 hectares per square kilometre compare
More reference data data for South Africa
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5111 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7468 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 41.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 63.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.07 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in South Africa?
- Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in South Africa was 4.32 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 4.32 hectares per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.13 hectares per square kilometre in 2016.
- How does South Africa rank for area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre?
- South Africa ranks 15th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 54.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa 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.