Tree cover loss from wildfires in Malawi

Malawi: Tree cover loss from wildfires was 342.18 hectares in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
342.18 hectares
Change on year
up 44.5%
World rank
69th
of 152 countries
All-time high
342.18 hectares
in 2024
All-time low
9.21 hectares
in 2002
Years of data
24
2001–2024

Tree cover loss from wildfires in Malawi, 2001–2024

01002003002001201220242001: 13.5 hectares2002: 9.2 hectares2003: 66.1 hectares2004: 41.7 hectares2005: 103.3 hectares2006: 19.8 hectares2007: 12.9 hectares2008: 14 hectares2009: 10.6 hectares2010: 19.5 hectares2011: 19.1 hectares2012: 45.2 hectares2013: 156.8 hectares2014: 65 hectares2015: 18.6 hectares2016: 122.3 hectares2017: 134.3 hectares2018: 160.6 hectares2019: 122.3 hectares2020: 199.4 hectares2021: 282.1 hectares2022: 176.6 hectares2023: 236.9 hectares2024: 342.2 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 Malawi is 342.18 hectares, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.

That represents a change of up 44.5% on the previous year and up 426.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, tree cover loss from wildfires in Malawi peaked at 342.18 hectares in 2024 and was at its lowest, 9.21 hectares, in 2002.

That places Malawi 69th 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 32.35 hectares 9.21 hectares 103.3 hectares 9
2010s 86.37 hectares 18.57 hectares 160.6 hectares 10
2020s 247.42 hectares 176.59 hectares 342.18 hectares 5

Countries ranked near Malawi

  1. 66 Central African Republic 436.28 hectares compare
  2. 67 Liberia 365.11 hectares compare
  3. 68 Belarus 353.67 hectares compare
  4. 70 French Guiana 332.07 hectares compare
  5. 71 South Korea 297.16 hectares compare
  6. 72 Germany 275.82 hectares compare

See the full ranking of 152 places →

More reference data data for Malawi

All data for Malawi →

Frequently asked questions

What is tree cover loss from wildfires in Malawi?
Tree cover loss from wildfires in Malawi was 342.18 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 Malawi?
The highest recorded value was 342.18 hectares in 2024.
What is the lowest tree cover loss from wildfires recorded in Malawi?
The lowest recorded value was 9.21 hectares in 2002.
How does Malawi rank for tree cover loss from wildfires?
Malawi ranks 69th out of 152 countries with data for 2024.
Is tree cover loss from wildfires rising or falling in Malawi?
Over the last ten years it is up 426.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Malawi 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).