Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires in Kenya
Kenya: Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires was 12,790 tonnes in 2026. ▼ Falling
Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires in Kenya, 2003–2026
Source: Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Kenya recorded 12,790 tonnes for annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in 2026.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 33.9% on the previous year and down 22.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in Kenya peaked at 35,482 tonnes in 2012 and was at its lowest, 7,604 tonnes, in 2018.
That places Kenya 69th out of 248 countries with data for 2026, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires in Kenya, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 28,549 tonnes | — |
| 2004 | 21,393 tonnes | -25.1% |
| 2005 | 26,436 tonnes | +23.6% |
| 2006 | 13,542 tonnes | -48.8% |
| 2007 | 25,164 tonnes | +85.8% |
| 2008 | 24,849 tonnes | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 20,556 tonnes | -17.3% |
| 2010 | 10,680 tonnes | -48.0% |
| 2011 | 19,371 tonnes | +81.4% |
| 2012 | 35,482 tonnes | +83.2% |
| 2013 | 14,713 tonnes | -58.5% |
| 2014 | 15,490 tonnes | +5.3% |
| 2015 | 25,193 tonnes | +62.6% |
| 2016 | 16,503 tonnes | -34.5% |
| 2017 | 11,488 tonnes | -30.4% |
| 2018 | 7,604 tonnes | -33.8% |
| 2019 | 18,394 tonnes | +141.9% |
| 2020 | 13,995 tonnes | -23.9% |
| 2021 | 17,290 tonnes | +23.5% |
| 2022 | 9,287 tonnes | -46.3% |
| 2023 | 13,598 tonnes | +46.4% |
| 2024 | 11,158 tonnes | -17.9% |
| 2025 | 19,355 tonnes | +73.5% |
| 2026 | 12,790 tonnes | -33.9% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 12,790 tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 12,315 tonnes, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 12,790 tonnes is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 30,647 tonnes, 42% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 22,927 tonnes | 13,542 tonnes | 28,549 tonnes | 7 |
| 2010s | 17,492 tonnes | 7,604 tonnes | 35,482 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 13,925 tonnes | 9,287 tonnes | 19,355 tonnes | 7 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More climate change data for Kenya
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 276.34 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 50,641 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 16,186 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 34,454 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 61.08 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1,231 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 2,372 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 2,116 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 255.67 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 7.99 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in Kenya?
- Annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in Kenya was 12,790 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 Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 35,482 tonnes in 2012.
- What is the lowest annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 7,604 tonnes in 2018.
- How does Kenya rank for annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires?
- Kenya ranks 69th out of 248 countries with data for 2026.
- Is annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Kenya 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 18 September 2026.