Area burned by wildfires by land cover type in Canada
Canada: Area burned by wildfires by land cover type was 90,801 hectares in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type in Canada, 2002–2025
Source: Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
The most recent figure for area burned by wildfires by land cover type in Canada is 90,801 hectares, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 20.5% on the previous year and down 5.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, area burned by wildfires by land cover type in Canada peaked at 568,502 hectares in 2023 and was at its lowest, 11,592 hectares, in 2020.
That places Canada 52nd out of 225 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type in Canada, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 78,050 hectares | — |
| 2003 | 97,283 hectares | +24.6% |
| 2004 | 99,215 hectares | +2.0% |
| 2005 | 47,311 hectares | -52.3% |
| 2006 | 90,114 hectares | +90.5% |
| 2007 | 46,130 hectares | -48.8% |
| 2008 | 23,806 hectares | -48.4% |
| 2009 | 48,792 hectares | +105.0% |
| 2010 | 76,740 hectares | +57.3% |
| 2011 | 90,200 hectares | +17.5% |
| 2012 | 91,208 hectares | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 115,315 hectares | +26.4% |
| 2014 | 166,575 hectares | +44.5% |
| 2015 | 95,716 hectares | -42.5% |
| 2016 | 27,219 hectares | -71.6% |
| 2017 | 178,982 hectares | +557.6% |
| 2018 | 92,539 hectares | -48.3% |
| 2019 | 25,630 hectares | -72.3% |
| 2020 | 11,592 hectares | -54.8% |
| 2021 | 102,328 hectares | +782.8% |
| 2022 | 49,372 hectares | -51.8% |
| 2023 | 568,502 hectares | +1051.5% |
| 2024 | 114,241 hectares | -79.9% |
| 2025 | 90,801 hectares | -20.5% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Area burned by wildfires by land cover type 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% | 49,372 hectares | 568,502 hectares |
| 2021 | +782.8% | 11,592 hectares | 102,328 hectares |
| 2017 | +557.6% | 27,219 hectares | 178,982 hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 66,338 hectares | 23,806 hectares | 99,215 hectares | 8 |
| 2010s | 96,013 hectares | 25,630 hectares | 178,982 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 156,139 hectares | 11,592 hectares | 568,502 hectares | 6 |
Countries ranked near Canada
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 in Canada?
- Area burned by wildfires by land cover type in Canada was 90,801 hectares in 2025, according to Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest area burned by wildfires by land cover type recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 568,502 hectares in 2023.
- What is the lowest area burned by wildfires by land cover type recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 11,592 hectares in 2020.
- How does Canada rank for area burned by wildfires by land cover type?
- Canada ranks 52nd out of 225 countries with data for 2025.
- Is area burned by wildfires by land cover type rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Area burned by wildfires by land cover type. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Area of shrubland and grassland burnt by wildfires each year, in hectares. Includes open and closed shrublands and grasslands without a significant tree cover.