Tree cover loss from wildfires in Russia
Russia: Tree cover loss from wildfires was 4.20 million hectares in 2024. ▲ Rising
Tree cover loss from wildfires in Russia, 2001–2024
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 Russia is 4.20 million hectares, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 77.8% on the previous year and up 15.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tree cover loss from wildfires in Russia peaked at 5.41 million hectares in 2021 and was at its lowest, 818,551 hectares, in 2005.
Russia ranks 2nd of 152 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Tree cover loss from wildfires in Russia, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 1.27 million hectares | — |
| 2002 | 2.12 million hectares | +66.2% |
| 2003 | 2.56 million hectares | +21.0% |
| 2004 | 2.71 million hectares | +5.7% |
| 2005 | 818,551 hectares | -69.8% |
| 2006 | 1.49 million hectares | +81.7% |
| 2007 | 1.49 million hectares | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 2.23 million hectares | +49.8% |
| 2009 | 1.25 million hectares | -44.1% |
| 2010 | 931,467 hectares | -25.2% |
| 2011 | 2.16 million hectares | +132.0% |
| 2012 | 4.31 million hectares | +99.4% |
| 2013 | 4.14 million hectares | -4.0% |
| 2014 | 3.63 million hectares | -12.3% |
| 2015 | 1.50 million hectares | -58.8% |
| 2016 | 3.87 million hectares | +158.8% |
| 2017 | 3.55 million hectares | -8.2% |
| 2018 | 3.70 million hectares | +4.2% |
| 2019 | 2.59 million hectares | -30.1% |
| 2020 | 4.27 million hectares | +65.0% |
| 2021 | 5.41 million hectares | +26.7% |
| 2022 | 3.17 million hectares | -41.3% |
| 2023 | 2.36 million hectares | -25.5% |
| 2024 | 4.20 million hectares | +77.8% |
Russia compared with similar countries
- Russia's 4.20 million hectares is above the median for high income countries, which is 152.21 hectares, 27602.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Russia's 4.20 million hectares is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 70.29 hectares, 59768.3× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1.77 million hectares | 818,551 hectares | 2.71 million hectares | 9 |
| 2010s | 3.04 million hectares | 931,467 hectares | 4.31 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.88 million hectares | 2.36 million hectares | 5.41 million hectares | 5 |
Countries ranked near Russia
More reference data data for Russia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 9.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.11 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 26.58 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.94 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 26.58 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 31.32 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 19.38 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 18.16 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 129.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 26.88 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is tree cover loss from wildfires in Russia?
- Tree cover loss from wildfires in Russia was 4.20 million 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 Russia?
- The highest recorded value was 5.41 million hectares in 2021.
- What is the lowest tree cover loss from wildfires recorded in Russia?
- The lowest recorded value was 818,551 hectares in 2005.
- How does Russia rank for tree cover loss from wildfires?
- Russia ranks 2nd out of 152 countries with data for 2024.
- Is tree cover loss from wildfires rising or falling in Russia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Russia 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
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).