Tree cover loss from wildfires in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Tree cover loss from wildfires was 14.7 hectares in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
14.7 hectares
Change on year
down 55.8%
World rank
112th
of 152 countries
All-time high
48.53 hectares
in 2014
All-time low
0.076 hectares
in 2020
Years of data
23
2001–2024

Tree cover loss from wildfires in Sri Lanka, 2001–2024

010203040502001201220242001: 0.458 hectares2002: 5.7 hectares2003: 0.688 hectares2004: 0.533 hectares2005: 0.457 hectares2007: 6.6 hectares2008: 9.4 hectares2009: 33.5 hectares2010: 0.991 hectares2011: 5.1 hectares2012: 10.5 hectares2013: 19.8 hectares2014: 48.5 hectares2015: 12.8 hectares2016: 11.3 hectares2017: 3.7 hectares2018: 14.9 hectares2019: 26.6 hectares2020: 0.076 hectares2021: 12.5 hectares2022: 10.1 hectares2023: 33.3 hectares2024: 14.7 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 Sri Lanka is 14.7 hectares, measured in 2024.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 55.8% on the previous year and down 69.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, tree cover loss from wildfires in Sri Lanka peaked at 48.53 hectares in 2014 and was at its lowest, 0.076 hectares, in 2020.

That places Sri Lanka 112th 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 7.16 hectares 0.4572 hectares 33.45 hectares 8
2010s 15.42 hectares 0.9908 hectares 48.53 hectares 10
2020s 14.13 hectares 0.076 hectares 33.3 hectares 5

Countries ranked near Sri Lanka

  1. 109 Pakistan 17.47 hectares compare
  2. 110 Jamaica 16.41 hectares compare
  3. 111 Netherlands 15.41 hectares compare
  4. 113 Georgia 13.8 hectares compare
  5. 114 Romania 13.65 hectares compare
  6. 115 Israel 13.01 hectares compare

See the full ranking of 152 places →

More reference data data for Sri Lanka

All data for Sri Lanka →

Frequently asked questions

What is tree cover loss from wildfires in Sri Lanka?
Tree cover loss from wildfires in Sri Lanka was 14.7 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 Sri Lanka?
The highest recorded value was 48.53 hectares in 2014.
What is the lowest tree cover loss from wildfires recorded in Sri Lanka?
The lowest recorded value was 0.076 hectares in 2020.
How does Sri Lanka rank for tree cover loss from wildfires?
Sri Lanka ranks 112th out of 152 countries with data for 2024.
Is tree cover loss from wildfires rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
Over the last ten years it is down 69.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Sri Lanka 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 — 23 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).