Area burned by wildfires by land cover type in Mexico

Mexico: Area burned by wildfires by land cover type was 200,148 hectares in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
200,148 hectares
Change on year
down 34.3%
World rank
46th
of 225 countries
All-time high
842,278 hectares
in 2011
All-time low
94,257 hectares
in 2015
Years of data
23
2002–2024

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

0200.0k400.0k600.0k800.0k2002201320242002: 133.4k hectares2003: 184.6k hectares2004: 114.4k hectares2005: 298.1k hectares2006: 177.0k hectares2007: 163.5k hectares2008: 244.6k hectares2009: 302.0k hectares2010: 150.1k hectares2011: 842.3k hectares2012: 205.1k hectares2013: 209.5k hectares2014: 106.4k hectares2015: 94.3k hectares2016: 158.8k hectares2017: 318.8k hectares2018: 249.5k hectares2019: 282.6k hectares2020: 219.2k hectares2021: 179.3k hectares2022: 202.1k hectares2023: 304.8k hectares2024: 200.1k hectares

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

Analysis

Mexico recorded 200,148 hectares for area burned by wildfires by land cover type in 2024.

The figure is down 34.3% on the previous year and up 88.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, area burned by wildfires by land cover type in Mexico peaked at 842,278 hectares in 2011 and was at its lowest, 94,257 hectares, in 2015.

That places Mexico 46th out of 225 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.

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

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 202,195 hectares 114,392 hectares 301,982 hectares 8
2010s 261,742 hectares 94,257 hectares 842,278 hectares 10
2020s 221,116 hectares 179,283 hectares 304,815 hectares 5

Countries ranked near Mexico

  1. 43 Mongolia 260,510 hectares compare
  2. 44 Paraguay 227,817 hectares compare
  3. 45 Mauritania 204,162 hectares compare
  4. 47 Iraq 184,478 hectares compare
  5. 48 Ukraine 179,862 hectares compare
  6. 49 Gambia 140,000 hectares compare

See the full ranking of 225 places →

More reference data data for Mexico

All data for Mexico →

Frequently asked questions

What is area burned by wildfires by land cover type in Mexico?
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type in Mexico was 200,148 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 Mexico?
The highest recorded value was 842,278 hectares in 2011.
What is the lowest area burned by wildfires by land cover type recorded in Mexico?
The lowest recorded value was 94,257 hectares in 2015.
How does Mexico rank for area burned by wildfires by land cover type?
Mexico ranks 46th out of 225 countries with data for 2024.
Is area burned by wildfires by land cover type rising or falling in Mexico?
Over the last ten years it is up 88.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Mexico 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.