Tree cover loss from wildfires in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico: Tree cover loss from wildfires was 0.0731 hectares in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
0.0731 hectares
Change on year
down 50.0%
World rank
152nd
of 152 countries
All-time high
412.74 hectares
in 2017
All-time low
0.0731 hectares
in 2023
Years of data
16
2002–2023

Tree cover loss from wildfires in Puerto Rico, 2002–2023

01002003004002002201220232002: 0.219 hectares2004: 0.146 hectares2006: 0.366 hectares2007: 0.365 hectares2008: 0.073 hectares2011: 0.146 hectares2012: 0.585 hectares2013: 1.2 hectares2014: 3.2 hectares2015: 1.6 hectares2016: 1.1 hectares2017: 412.7 hectares2018: 3 hectares2019: 2.1 hectares2020: 0.146 hectares2023: 0.073 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 Puerto Rico is 0.0731 hectares, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 16 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 50.0% on the previous year and down 94.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, tree cover loss from wildfires in Puerto Rico peaked at 412.74 hectares in 2017 and was at its lowest, 0.0731 hectares, in 2023.

Puerto Rico ranks 152nd of 152 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

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

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 0.234 hectares 0.0732 hectares 0.3655 hectares 5
2010s 47.31 hectares 0.1462 hectares 412.74 hectares 9
2020s 0.1096 hectares 0.0731 hectares 0.1462 hectares 2

Countries ranked near Puerto Rico

  1. 149 Palestine 0.2625 hectares compare
  2. 150 Lesotho 0.1333 hectares compare
  3. 151 Slovakia 0.102 hectares compare

See the full ranking of 152 places →

More reference data data for Puerto Rico

All data for Puerto Rico →

Frequently asked questions

What is tree cover loss from wildfires in Puerto Rico?
Tree cover loss from wildfires in Puerto Rico was 0.0731 hectares in 2023, 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 Puerto Rico?
The highest recorded value was 412.74 hectares in 2017.
What is the lowest tree cover loss from wildfires recorded in Puerto Rico?
The lowest recorded value was 0.0731 hectares in 2023.
How does Puerto Rico rank for tree cover loss from wildfires?
Puerto Rico ranks 152nd out of 152 countries with data for 2023.
Is tree cover loss from wildfires rising or falling in Puerto Rico?
Over the last ten years it is down 94.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Puerto Rico 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 — 16 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).