Tree cover loss from wildfires in Kenya

Kenya: Tree cover loss from wildfires was 87.2 hectares in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
87.2 hectares
Change on year
down 16.0%
World rank
91st
of 152 countries
All-time high
310.49 hectares
in 2019
All-time low
4.92 hectares
in 2004
Years of data
24
2001–2024

Tree cover loss from wildfires in Kenya, 2001–2024

01002003002001201220242001: 17.5 hectares2002: 24.2 hectares2003: 25.9 hectares2004: 4.9 hectares2005: 7.6 hectares2006: 56.8 hectares2007: 27.5 hectares2008: 14.4 hectares2009: 8.9 hectares2010: 35.5 hectares2011: 15.2 hectares2012: 22.5 hectares2013: 47.1 hectares2014: 12.4 hectares2015: 299.6 hectares2016: 17.9 hectares2017: 169.8 hectares2018: 42.1 hectares2019: 310.5 hectares2020: 62.3 hectares2021: 7.5 hectares2022: 81.3 hectares2023: 103.8 hectares2024: 87.2 hectares

Source: Global Forest Watch (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.

Analysis

The most recent figure for tree cover loss from wildfires in Kenya is 87.2 hectares, measured in 2024.

The figure is down 16.0% on the previous year and up 604.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, tree cover loss from wildfires in Kenya peaked at 310.49 hectares in 2019 and was at its lowest, 4.92 hectares, in 2004.

That places Kenya 91st out of 152 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 20.85 hectares 4.92 hectares 56.85 hectares 9
2010s 97.27 hectares 12.38 hectares 310.49 hectares 10
2020s 68.4 hectares 7.46 hectares 103.75 hectares 5

Countries ranked near Kenya

  1. 88 Costa Rica 112.59 hectares compare
  2. 89 Bosnia and Herzegovina 103.49 hectares compare
  3. 90 Panama 100.93 hectares compare
  4. 92 Serbia 86.79 hectares compare
  5. 93 Ghana 74.81 hectares compare
  6. 94 United Kingdom 70.29 hectares compare

See the full ranking of 152 places →

More reference data data for Kenya

All data for Kenya →

Frequently asked questions

What is tree cover loss from wildfires in Kenya?
Tree cover loss from wildfires in Kenya was 87.2 hectares in 2024, according to Global Forest Watch (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest tree cover loss from wildfires recorded in Kenya?
The highest recorded value was 310.49 hectares in 2019.
What is the lowest tree cover loss from wildfires recorded in Kenya?
The lowest recorded value was 4.92 hectares in 2004.
How does Kenya rank for tree cover loss from wildfires?
Kenya ranks 91st out of 152 countries with data for 2024.
Is tree cover loss from wildfires rising or falling in Kenya?
Over the last ten years it is up 604.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Kenya data come from?
The figures come from Global Forest Watch (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Tree cover loss from wildfires. 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

Indicator
Tree cover loss from wildfires
Unit
hectares
Source
Global Forest Watch (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
152 places, 3,353 data points, 2001–2024
Last refreshed

Tree cover loss due to fire with no visible human conversion or agricultural activity afterward. Fires may be started by natural causes (e.g. lightning) or may be related to human activities (accidental or deliberate).