Forest fires — Burned Area in Kenya

Kenya: Forest fires — Burned Area was 149.59 ha in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
149.59 ha
Change on year
down 85.1%
World rank
92nd
of 219 countries
All-time high
13,390 ha
in 2000
All-time low
0 ha
in 2018
Years of data
35
1990–2024

Forest fires — Burned Area in Kenya, 1990–2024

05.0k10.0k15.0k1990200720241990: 2.0k ha1991: 2.0k ha1992: 2.0k ha1993: 2.0k ha1994: 2.0k ha1995: 2.0k ha1996: 2.3k ha1997: 11.8k ha1998: 4.1k ha1999: 8.8k ha2000: 13.4k ha2001: 235.1 ha2002: 320.5 ha2003: 512.9 ha2004: 149.6 ha2005: 1.3k ha2006: 213.7 ha2007: 341.9 ha2008: 705.2 ha2009: 1.2k ha2010: 64.1 ha2011: 577 ha2012: 2.1k ha2013: 128.2 ha2014: 42.7 ha2015: 5.6k ha2016: 64.1 ha2017: 235.1 ha2018: 0 ha2019: 1.3k ha2020: 171 ha2021: 42.7 ha2022: 662.5 ha2023: 1.0k ha2024: 149.6 ha

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for forest fires — burned area in Kenya is 149.59 ha, measured in 2024.

That represents a change of down 85.1% on the previous year and up 250.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, forest fires — burned area in Kenya peaked at 13,390 ha in 2000 and was at its lowest, 0 ha, in 2018.

Kenya ranks 92nd of 219 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.

Forest fires — Burned Area in Kenya, year by year

Annual values for Forest fires — Burned Area in Kenya, 1990 to 2024.
Year ha Change
1990 1,983 ha —
1991 1,983 ha +0.0%
1992 1,983 ha +0.0%
1993 1,983 ha +0.0%
1994 1,983 ha +0.0%
1995 1,983 ha +0.0%
1996 2,258 ha +13.9%
1997 11,790 ha +422.0%
1998 4,090 ha -65.3%
1999 8,824 ha +115.7%
2000 13,390 ha +51.8%
2001 235.07 ha -98.2%
2002 320.55 ha +36.4%
2003 512.88 ha +60.0%
2004 149.6 ha -70.8%
2005 1,304 ha +771.4%
2006 213.7 ha -83.6%
2007 341.93 ha +60.0%
2008 705.21 ha +106.2%
2009 1,197 ha +69.7%
2010 64.11 ha -94.6%
2011 576.99 ha +800.0%
2012 2,073 ha +259.3%
2013 128.22 ha -93.8%
2014 42.74 ha -66.7%
2015 5,642 ha +13100.0%
2016 64.11 ha -98.9%
2017 235.07 ha +266.7%
2018 0 ha -100.0%
2019 1,325 ha —
2020 170.96 ha -87.1%
2021 42.74 ha -75.0%
2022 662.47 ha +1450.0%
2023 1,004 ha +51.6%
2024 149.59 ha -85.1%

Kenya compared with similar countries

  • Kenya's 149.59 ha is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1,929 ha, 8% of the median. (41 countries reporting)
  • Kenya's 149.59 ha is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3,274 ha, 5% of the median. (44 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Forest fires — Burned Area in Kenya changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2015 +13100.0% 42.74 ha 5,642 ha
2022 +1450.0% 42.74 ha 662.47 ha
2011 +800.0% 64.11 ha 576.99 ha
2005 +771.4% 149.6 ha 1,304 ha

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 3,886 ha 1,983 ha 11,790 ha 10
2000s 1,837 ha 149.6 ha 13,390 ha 10
2010s 1,015 ha 0 ha 5,642 ha 10
2020s 406.03 ha 42.74 ha 1,004 ha 5

Countries ranked near Kenya

  1. 89 Tunisia 171.79 ha compare
  2. 90 Fiji 171.15 ha compare
  3. 91 Croatia 150.55 ha compare
  4. 93 Mayotte 106.92 ha compare
  5. 94 Brunei Darussalam 106.86 ha compare
  6. 95 Czechia 86.14 ha compare

See the full ranking of 272 places →

More climate change data for Kenya

All data for Kenya →

Frequently asked questions

What is forest fires — burned area in Kenya?
Forest fires — burned area in Kenya was 149.59 ha in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest forest fires — burned area recorded in Kenya?
The highest recorded value was 13,390 ha in 2000.
What is the lowest forest fires — burned area recorded in Kenya?
The lowest recorded value was 0 ha in 2018.
How does Kenya rank for forest fires — burned area?
Kenya ranks 92nd out of 219 countries with data for 2024.
Is forest fires — burned area rising or falling in Kenya?
Over the last ten years it is up 250.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Kenya data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Forest fires — Burned Area. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Forest fires — Burned Area in Kenya. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 27 September 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/forest-fires-burned-area-fao-tier-1/kenya/

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About this data

Indicator
Forest fires — Burned Area
Unit
ha
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO)
Coverage
272 places, 9,294 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.