Closed and open shrubland — Burned Area in Australia and New Zealand

Australia and New Zealand: Closed and open shrubland — Burned Area was 12.02 million ha in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
12.02 million ha
Change on year
down 73.6%
World rank
2nd
of 219 countries
All-time high
51.00 million ha
in 2011
All-time low
2.50 million ha
in 2020
Years of data
35
1990–2024

Closed and open shrubland — Burned Area in Australia and New Zealand, 1990–2024

010.0M20.0M30.0M40.0M50.0M1990200720241990: 20.6M ha1991: 20.6M ha1992: 20.6M ha1993: 20.6M ha1994: 20.6M ha1995: 20.6M ha1996: 14.0M ha1997: 14.4M ha1998: 17.2M ha1999: 32.1M ha2000: 39.3M ha2001: 45.5M ha2002: 44.5M ha2003: 7.5M ha2004: 22.7M ha2005: 5.5M ha2006: 24.1M ha2007: 22.2M ha2008: 8.7M ha2009: 9.2M ha2010: 4.9M ha2011: 51.0M ha2012: 47.4M ha2013: 8.9M ha2014: 18.1M ha2015: 18.0M ha2016: 6.1M ha2017: 26.4M ha2018: 22.9M ha2019: 10.5M ha2020: 2.5M ha2021: 6.7M ha2022: 9.3M ha2023: 45.5M ha2024: 12.0M ha

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in ha.

Analysis

In 2024, closed and open shrubland — burned area in Australia and New Zealand stood at 12.02 million ha.

That represents a change of down 73.6% on the previous year and down 33.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, closed and open shrubland — burned area in Australia and New Zealand peaked at 51.00 million ha in 2011 and was at its lowest, 2.50 million ha, in 2020.

Australia and New Zealand ranks 2nd of 219 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Closed and open shrubland — Burned Area in Australia and New Zealand, year by year

Annual values for Closed and open shrubland — Burned Area in Australia and New Zealand, 1990 to 2024.
Year ha Change
1990 20.59 million ha
1991 20.59 million ha +0.0%
1992 20.59 million ha +0.0%
1993 20.59 million ha +0.0%
1994 20.59 million ha +0.0%
1995 20.59 million ha +0.0%
1996 14.00 million ha -32.0%
1997 14.39 million ha +2.8%
1998 17.20 million ha +19.5%
1999 32.09 million ha +86.6%
2000 39.32 million ha +22.6%
2001 45.53 million ha +15.8%
2002 44.53 million ha -2.2%
2003 7.48 million ha -83.2%
2004 22.69 million ha +203.3%
2005 5.51 million ha -75.7%
2006 24.14 million ha +337.9%
2007 22.19 million ha -8.1%
2008 8.65 million ha -61.0%
2009 9.17 million ha +5.9%
2010 4.93 million ha -46.3%
2011 51.00 million ha +935.5%
2012 47.37 million ha -7.1%
2013 8.88 million ha -81.2%
2014 18.10 million ha +103.8%
2015 18.02 million ha -0.4%
2016 6.12 million ha -66.0%
2017 26.44 million ha +332.1%
2018 22.91 million ha -13.4%
2019 10.48 million ha -54.3%
2020 2.50 million ha -76.1%
2021 6.74 million ha +169.1%
2022 9.32 million ha +38.4%
2023 45.51 million ha +388.0%
2024 12.02 million ha -73.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 20.12 million ha 14.00 million ha 32.09 million ha 10
2000s 22.92 million ha 5.51 million ha 45.53 million ha 10
2010s 21.42 million ha 4.93 million ha 51.00 million ha 10
2020s 15.22 million ha 2.50 million ha 45.51 million ha 5

Countries ranked near Australia and New Zealand

  1. 1 OECD 12.17 million ha compare
  2. 2 Australia 12.02 million ha compare
  3. 4 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 146,868 ha compare
  4. 4 Russian Federation 1.02 million ha compare
  5. 5 Botswana 939,936 ha compare
  6. 5 Syrian Arab Republic 63,138 ha compare

See the full ranking of 271 places →

More climate change data for Australia and New Zealand

All data for Australia and New Zealand →

Frequently asked questions

What is closed and open shrubland — burned area in Australia and New Zealand?
Closed and open shrubland — burned area in Australia and New Zealand was 12.02 million ha in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest closed and open shrubland — burned area recorded in Australia and New Zealand?
The highest recorded value was 51.00 million ha in 2011.
What is the lowest closed and open shrubland — burned area recorded in Australia and New Zealand?
The lowest recorded value was 2.50 million ha in 2020.
How does Australia and New Zealand rank for closed and open shrubland — burned area?
Australia and New Zealand ranks 2nd out of 219 countries with data for 2024.
Is closed and open shrubland — burned area rising or falling in Australia and New Zealand?
Over the last ten years it is down 33.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Australia and New Zealand data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Closed and open shrubland — Burned Area. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Closed and open shrubland — Burned Area in Australia and New Zealand. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 12 September 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/closed-and-open-shrubland-burned-area-fao-tier-1/australia-and-new-zealand/

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About this data

Indicator
Closed and open shrubland — Burned Area
Unit
ha
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO)
Coverage
271 places, 9,259 data points, 1990–2024
Last refreshed

The FAOSTAT domain on Emissions from Fires consists of estimates of methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions generated from biomass burning in a range of vegetation types and from fires in organic soils.