Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires in China
China: Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires was 206,521 tonnes in 2026. ▼ Falling
Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires in China, 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 pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in China is 206,521 tonnes, measured in 2026. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 40.0% on the previous year and down 22.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in China peaked at 757,946 tonnes in 2003 and was at its lowest, 206,521 tonnes, in 2026.
China ranks 15th of 248 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 465,363 tonnes | 346,896 tonnes | 757,946 tonnes | 7 |
| 2010s | 345,343 tonnes | 265,606 tonnes | 436,834 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 303,287 tonnes | 206,521 tonnes | 344,027 tonnes | 7 |
Countries ranked near China
More climate change data for China
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 6.2% (2100)
- Population growth -0.2% (2025)
- Population, total 1.41 billion (2025)
- Urban population growth 0.5% (2025)
- Urban population 933.17 million (2025)
- Urban population 66.3% (2025)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. GDP per capita 8.66 tonnes per person (2024)
- Cumulative CO₂ emissions 285.09 billion tonnes (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita 8.66 tonnes per person (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. share of electricity generation from renewables 8.66 tonnes per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in China?
- Annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in China was 206,521 tonnes in 2026, according to Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 757,946 tonnes in 2003.
- What is the lowest annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 206,521 tonnes in 2026.
- How does China rank for annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires?
- China ranks 15th out of 248 countries with data for 2026.
- Is annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China 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 PM2.5 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
PM2.5 emissions represent the quantity of fine particulate matter (diameter less than 2.5 micrometers) released by wildfires, in tonnes. The 2026 data is incomplete and was last updated 07 August 2026.