Tree cover loss from wildfires in New Zealand
New Zealand: Tree cover loss from wildfires was 1,473 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Tree cover loss from wildfires in New Zealand, 2001–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2024, tree cover loss from wildfires in New Zealand stood at 1,473.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 23.6% on the previous year and down 23.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tree cover loss from wildfires in New Zealand peaked at 4,120 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 330.88, in 2011.
That places New Zealand 45th 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.
Tree cover loss from wildfires in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 493.11 | — |
| 2002 | 390.05 | -20.9% |
| 2003 | 463.18 | +18.7% |
| 2004 | 737.09 | +59.1% |
| 2005 | 960.7 | +30.3% |
| 2006 | 791.41 | -17.6% |
| 2007 | 816.46 | +3.2% |
| 2008 | 567.06 | -30.5% |
| 2009 | 579.85 | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 394.14 | -32.0% |
| 2011 | 330.88 | -16.1% |
| 2012 | 1,053 | +218.2% |
| 2013 | 2,039 | +93.6% |
| 2014 | 1,919 | -5.8% |
| 2015 | 1,315 | -31.5% |
| 2016 | 4,120 | +213.3% |
| 2017 | 1,944 | -52.8% |
| 2018 | 1,867 | -4.0% |
| 2019 | 1,822 | -2.4% |
| 2020 | 1,671 | -8.3% |
| 2021 | 1,528 | -8.5% |
| 2022 | 2,703 | +77.0% |
| 2023 | 1,929 | -28.7% |
| 2024 | 1,473 | -23.6% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 1,473 is above the median for high income countries, which is 152.21, 9.7× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 1,473 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 835.53, 1.8× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Tree cover loss from wildfires in New Zealand changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | +218.2% | 330.88 | 1,053 |
| 2016 | +213.3% | 1,315 | 4,120 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 644.32 | 390.05 | 960.7 | 9 |
| 2010s | 1,680 | 330.88 | 4,120 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,861 | 1,473 | 2,703 | 5 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More reference data data for New Zealand
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.4532 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 9.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0459 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 10.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.52 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 42.17 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 47.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2499 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is tree cover loss from wildfires in New Zealand?
- Tree cover loss from wildfires in New Zealand was 1,473 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest tree cover loss from wildfires recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 4,120 in 2016.
- What is the lowest tree cover loss from wildfires recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 330.88 in 2011.
- How does New Zealand rank for tree cover loss from wildfires?
- New Zealand ranks 45th out of 152 countries with data for 2024.
- Is tree cover loss from wildfires rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from 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).