Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires was 83,313 tonnes in 2026. ▼ Falling
Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires in Sierra Leone, 2003–2026
Source: Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
In 2026, annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in Sierra Leone stood at 83,313 tonnes.
The figure is down 17.7% on the previous year and down 76.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in Sierra Leone peaked at 378,703 tonnes in 2009 and was at its lowest, 68,978 tonnes, in 2005.
That places Sierra Leone 33rd out of 248 countries with data for 2026, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 220,029 tonnes | — |
| 2004 | 164,361 tonnes | -25.3% |
| 2005 | 68,978 tonnes | -58.0% |
| 2006 | 166,912 tonnes | +142.0% |
| 2007 | 311,861 tonnes | +86.8% |
| 2008 | 142,705 tonnes | -54.2% |
| 2009 | 378,703 tonnes | +165.4% |
| 2010 | 104,434 tonnes | -72.4% |
| 2011 | 151,031 tonnes | +44.6% |
| 2012 | 323,000 tonnes | +113.9% |
| 2013 | 241,028 tonnes | -25.4% |
| 2014 | 344,481 tonnes | +42.9% |
| 2015 | 358,815 tonnes | +4.2% |
| 2016 | 349,775 tonnes | -2.5% |
| 2017 | 212,969 tonnes | -39.1% |
| 2018 | 126,325 tonnes | -40.7% |
| 2019 | 179,078 tonnes | +41.8% |
| 2020 | 179,753 tonnes | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 115,876 tonnes | -35.5% |
| 2022 | 114,962 tonnes | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 190,297 tonnes | +65.5% |
| 2024 | 163,327 tonnes | -14.2% |
| 2025 | 101,182 tonnes | -38.0% |
| 2026 | 83,313 tonnes | -17.7% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 83,313 tonnes is above the median for low income countries, which is 19,009 tonnes, 4.4× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 83,313 tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 30,647 tonnes, 2.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 207,650 tonnes | 68,978 tonnes | 378,703 tonnes | 7 |
| 2010s | 239,094 tonnes | 104,434 tonnes | 358,815 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 135,530 tonnes | 83,313 tonnes | 190,297 tonnes | 7 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More climate change data for Sierra Leone
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 3.65 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 1,547 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 538.77 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1,008 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 2.03 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 36.02 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 1,431 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 201.66 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1,229 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.761 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in Sierra Leone?
- Annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in Sierra Leone was 83,313 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 Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 378,703 tonnes in 2009.
- What is the lowest annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 68,978 tonnes in 2005.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires?
- Sierra Leone ranks 33rd out of 248 countries with data for 2026.
- Is annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 76.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sierra Leone 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.