Area burned by wildfires by land cover type in China
China: Area burned by wildfires by land cover type was 71,417 hectares in 2025. ▼ Falling
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type in China, 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 China is 71,417 hectares, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 46.7% on the previous year and down 64.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, area burned by wildfires by land cover type in China peaked at 350,151 hectares in 2003 and was at its lowest, 64,033 hectares, in 2021.
China ranks 53rd of 225 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type in China, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 174,110 hectares | — |
| 2003 | 350,151 hectares | +101.1% |
| 2004 | 80,476 hectares | -77.0% |
| 2005 | 164,708 hectares | +104.7% |
| 2006 | 113,147 hectares | -31.3% |
| 2007 | 123,150 hectares | +8.8% |
| 2008 | 341,136 hectares | +177.0% |
| 2009 | 186,968 hectares | -45.2% |
| 2010 | 117,504 hectares | -37.2% |
| 2011 | 110,742 hectares | -5.8% |
| 2012 | 203,153 hectares | +83.4% |
| 2013 | 162,432 hectares | -20.0% |
| 2014 | 255,122 hectares | +57.1% |
| 2015 | 199,718 hectares | -21.7% |
| 2016 | 109,497 hectares | -45.2% |
| 2017 | 145,818 hectares | +33.2% |
| 2018 | 125,532 hectares | -13.9% |
| 2019 | 287,149 hectares | +128.7% |
| 2020 | 157,259 hectares | -45.2% |
| 2021 | 64,033 hectares | -59.3% |
| 2022 | 94,149 hectares | +47.0% |
| 2023 | 206,695 hectares | +119.5% |
| 2024 | 134,033 hectares | -35.2% |
| 2025 | 71,417 hectares | -46.7% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 71,417 hectares is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 10,669 hectares, 6.7× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- China's 71,417 hectares is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 42.93 hectares, 1663.5× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 191,731 hectares | 80,476 hectares | 350,151 hectares | 8 |
| 2010s | 171,667 hectares | 109,497 hectares | 287,149 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 121,264 hectares | 64,033 hectares | 206,695 hectares | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
More reference data data for China
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 49.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 75.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 18.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 165.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 206.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 350.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,480 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 102.37 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is area burned by wildfires by land cover type in China?
- Area burned by wildfires by land cover type in China was 71,417 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 China?
- The highest recorded value was 350,151 hectares in 2003.
- What is the lowest area burned by wildfires by land cover type recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 64,033 hectares in 2021.
- How does China rank for area burned by wildfires by land cover type?
- China ranks 53rd out of 225 countries with data for 2025.
- Is area burned by wildfires by land cover type rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 64.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China 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.