Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires was 6,514 tonnes in 2026. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2026)
6,514 tonnes
Change on year
down 31.1%
World rank
81st
of 248 countries
All-time high
9,450 tonnes
in 2025
All-time low
672.01 tonnes
in 2024
Years of data
24
2003–2026

Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires in United Kingdom, 2003–2026

02.0k4.0k6.0k8.0k10.0k2003201420262003: 5.4k tonnes2004: 2.3k tonnes2005: 2.1k tonnes2006: 2.1k tonnes2007: 2.9k tonnes2008: 1.4k tonnes2009: 2.1k tonnes2010: 1.9k tonnes2011: 4.9k tonnes2012: 2.7k tonnes2013: 2.0k tonnes2014: 1.2k tonnes2015: 1.7k tonnes2016: 1.6k tonnes2017: 1.6k tonnes2018: 2.1k tonnes2019: 2.7k tonnes2020: 1.4k tonnes2021: 1.1k tonnes2022: 2.0k tonnes2023: 2.1k tonnes2024: 672 tonnes2025: 9.4k tonnes2026: 6.5k tonnes

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 United Kingdom is 6,514 tonnes, measured in 2026.

The figure is down 31.1% on the previous year and up 313.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in United Kingdom peaked at 9,450 tonnes in 2025 and was at its lowest, 672.01 tonnes, in 2024.

United Kingdom ranks 81st of 248 countries on this measure, 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 2,631 tonnes 1,429 tonnes 5,402 tonnes 7
2010s 2,234 tonnes 1,250 tonnes 4,926 tonnes 10
2020s 3,306 tonnes 672.01 tonnes 9,450 tonnes 7

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 78 Ecuador 7,012 tonnes compare
  2. 79 Belize 6,657 tonnes compare
  3. 80 Kenya 6,595 tonnes compare
  4. 82 Libya 6,189 tonnes compare
  5. 83 Costa Rica 5,686 tonnes compare
  6. 84 Dominican Republic 5,398 tonnes compare

See the full ranking of 248 places →

More climate change data for United Kingdom

All data for United Kingdom →

Frequently asked questions

What is annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in United Kingdom?
Annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires in United Kingdom was 6,514 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 United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 9,450 tonnes in 2025.
What is the lowest annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 672.01 tonnes in 2024.
How does United Kingdom rank for annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires?
United Kingdom ranks 81st out of 248 countries with data for 2026.
Is annual pm2.5 emissions from wildfires rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is up 313.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this United Kingdom 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

Indicator
Annual PM2.5 emissions from wildfires
Unit
tonnes
Source
Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
248 places, 5,952 data points, 2003–2026
Last refreshed

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.