Annual CO₂ emissions from wildfires in Canada
Canada: Annual CO₂ emissions from wildfires was 163.44 million tonnes in 2026. ◆ Volatile
Annual CO₂ emissions from wildfires in Canada, 2003–2026
Source: Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual co₂ emissions from wildfires in Canada is 163.44 million tonnes, measured in 2026.
The figure is down 77.9% on the previous year and up 58.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual co₂ emissions from wildfires in Canada peaked at 1.32 billion tonnes in 2023 and was at its lowest, 28.27 million tonnes, in 2020.
That places Canada 3rd out of 248 countries with data for 2026, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 158.99 million tonnes | 85.56 million tonnes | 231.98 million tonnes | 7 |
| 2010s | 237.74 million tonnes | 103.39 million tonnes | 394.46 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 472.70 million tonnes | 28.27 million tonnes | 1.32 billion tonnes | 7 |
Countries ranked near Canada
- 1 Democratic Republic of Congo 329.86 million tonnes compare
- 2 Russia 232.76 million tonnes compare
- 4 Angola 158.79 million tonnes compare
- 5 South Sudan 124.62 million tonnes compare
- 6 Australia 115.43 million tonnes compare
More climate change data for Canada
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 0.5% (2100)
- Population growth 0.9% (2025)
- Population, total 41.65 million (2025)
- Urban population growth 1.2% (2025)
- Urban population 34.52 million (2025)
- Urban population 82.9% (2025)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. GDP per capita 13.42 tonnes per person (2024)
- Cumulative CO₂ emissions 35.64 billion tonnes (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita 13.42 tonnes per person (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. share of electricity generation from renewables 13.42 tonnes per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual co₂ emissions from wildfires in Canada?
- Annual co₂ emissions from wildfires in Canada was 163.44 million tonnes in 2026, according to Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual co₂ emissions from wildfires recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 1.32 billion tonnes in 2023.
- What is the lowest annual co₂ emissions from wildfires recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.27 million tonnes in 2020.
- How does Canada rank for annual co₂ emissions from wildfires?
- Canada ranks 3rd out of 248 countries with data for 2026.
- Is annual co₂ emissions from wildfires rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 58.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual CO₂ emissions 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
Carbon dioxide released by wildfires in tonnes. The 2026 data is incomplete and was last updated 07 August 2026.