Area burned by wildfires by land cover type in France

France: Area burned by wildfires by land cover type was 1,052 hectares in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
1,052 hectares
Change on year
down 50.5%
World rank
112th
of 225 countries
All-time high
9,874 hectares
in 2003
All-time low
107.33 hectares
in 2018
Years of data
23
2002–2024

Area burned by wildfires by land cover type in France, 2002–2024

02.0k4.0k6.0k8.0k10.0k2002201320242002: 944.5 hectares2003: 9.9k hectares2004: 2.4k hectares2005: 5.7k hectares2006: 1.3k hectares2007: 880.1 hectares2008: 2.8k hectares2009: 3.4k hectares2010: 3.0k hectares2011: 1.5k hectares2012: 2.0k hectares2013: 1.2k hectares2014: 1.4k hectares2015: 1.0k hectares2016: 4.1k hectares2017: 4.0k hectares2018: 107.3 hectares2019: 2.0k hectares2020: 1.2k hectares2021: 1.4k hectares2022: 5.3k hectares2023: 2.1k hectares2024: 1.1k hectares

Source: Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.

Analysis

France recorded 1,052 hectares for area burned by wildfires by land cover type in 2024.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 50.5% on the previous year and down 24.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, area burned by wildfires by land cover type in France peaked at 9,874 hectares in 2003 and was at its lowest, 107.33 hectares, in 2018.

That places France 112th out of 225 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 3,416 hectares 880.1 hectares 9,874 hectares 8
2010s 2,029 hectares 107.33 hectares 4,100 hectares 10
2020s 2,207 hectares 1,052 hectares 5,324 hectares 5

Countries ranked near France

  1. 109 Afghanistan 1,224 hectares compare
  2. 110 Armenia 1,095 hectares compare
  3. 111 Bahamas 1,052 hectares compare
  4. 113 North Korea 923.03 hectares compare
  5. 114 Haiti 837.17 hectares compare
  6. 115 East Timor 772.77 hectares compare
  7. 115 Japan 772.77 hectares compare

See the full ranking of 225 places →

More reference data data for France

All data for France →

Frequently asked questions

What is area burned by wildfires by land cover type in France?
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type in France was 1,052 hectares in 2024, 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 France?
The highest recorded value was 9,874 hectares in 2003.
What is the lowest area burned by wildfires by land cover type recorded in France?
The lowest recorded value was 107.33 hectares in 2018.
How does France rank for area burned by wildfires by land cover type?
France ranks 112th out of 225 countries with data for 2024.
Is area burned by wildfires by land cover type rising or falling in France?
Over the last ten years it is down 24.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this France 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.

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About this data

Indicator
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type
Unit
hectares
Source
Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
225 places, 5,175 data points, 2002–2024
Last refreshed

Area of shrubland and grassland burnt by wildfires each year, in hectares. Includes open and closed shrublands and grasslands without a significant tree cover.