Forest fires — Burned Area in Mexico

Mexico: Forest fires — Burned Area was 557,291 ha in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
557,291 ha
Change on year
up 80.1%
World rank
10th
of 219 countries
All-time high
867,807 ha
in 1998
All-time low
36,828 ha
in 2014
Years of data
35
1990–2024

Forest fires — Burned Area in Mexico, 1990–2024

0200.0k400.0k600.0k800.0k1990200720241990: 317.2k ha1991: 317.2k ha1992: 317.2k ha1993: 317.2k ha1994: 317.2k ha1995: 317.2k ha1996: 139.8k ha1997: 158.1k ha1998: 867.8k ha1999: 479.6k ha2000: 479.4k ha2001: 120.2k ha2002: 273.0k ha2003: 642.2k ha2004: 99.3k ha2005: 417.7k ha2006: 317.0k ha2007: 222.4k ha2008: 298.0k ha2009: 290.6k ha2010: 144.9k ha2011: 424.7k ha2012: 185.3k ha2013: 448.4k ha2014: 36.8k ha2015: 191.8k ha2016: 234.5k ha2017: 360.5k ha2018: 166.9k ha2019: 457.1k ha2020: 388.4k ha2021: 260.0k ha2022: 227.8k ha2023: 309.4k ha2024: 557.3k ha

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for forest fires — burned area in Mexico is 557,291 ha, measured in 2024.

The figure is up 80.1% on the previous year and up 1,413.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, forest fires — burned area in Mexico peaked at 867,807 ha in 1998 and was at its lowest, 36,828 ha, in 2014.

Mexico ranks 10th 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.

Forest fires — Burned Area in Mexico, year by year

Annual values for Forest fires — Burned Area in Mexico, 1990 to 2024.
Year ha Change
1990 317,201 ha —
1991 317,201 ha +0.0%
1992 317,201 ha +0.0%
1993 317,201 ha +0.0%
1994 317,201 ha +0.0%
1995 317,201 ha +0.0%
1996 139,824 ha -55.9%
1997 158,111 ha +13.1%
1998 867,807 ha +448.9%
1999 479,564 ha -44.7%
2000 479,362 ha -0.0%
2001 120,185 ha -74.9%
2002 272,986 ha +127.1%
2003 642,164 ha +135.2%
2004 99,270 ha -84.5%
2005 417,731 ha +320.8%
2006 317,033 ha -24.1%
2007 222,367 ha -29.9%
2008 297,969 ha +34.0%
2009 290,626 ha -2.5%
2010 144,888 ha -50.1%
2011 424,748 ha +193.2%
2012 185,350 ha -56.4%
2013 448,449 ha +141.9%
2014 36,828 ha -91.8%
2015 191,754 ha +420.7%
2016 234,525 ha +22.3%
2017 360,471 ha +53.7%
2018 166,859 ha -53.7%
2019 457,091 ha +173.9%
2020 388,383 ha -15.0%
2021 259,997 ha -33.1%
2022 227,798 ha -12.4%
2023 309,401 ha +35.8%
2024 557,291 ha +80.1%

Mexico compared with similar countries

  • Mexico's 557,291 ha is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 344.48 ha, 1617.8× the median. (52 countries reporting)
  • Mexico's 557,291 ha is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 513.61 ha, 1085.1× the median. (37 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Forest fires — Burned Area in Mexico 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
1998 +448.9% 158,111 ha 867,807 ha

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 354,851 ha 139,824 ha 867,807 ha 10
2000s 315,969 ha 99,270 ha 642,164 ha 10
2010s 265,096 ha 36,828 ha 457,091 ha 10
2020s 348,574 ha 227,798 ha 557,291 ha 5

Countries ranked near Mexico

  1. 7 Myanmar 1.29 million ha compare
  2. 7 United Republic of Tanzania 414,900 ha compare
  3. 8 Russian Federation 723,318 ha compare
  4. 8 Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 316,286 ha compare
  5. 9 Canada 717,855 ha compare
  6. 10 Viet Nam 77,644 ha compare
  7. 11 Democratic People's Republic of Korea 10,553 ha compare
  8. 11 India 523,649 ha compare
  9. 12 Cambodia 470,662 ha compare
  10. 12 Melanesia 8,913 ha compare
  11. 13 Nepal 363,091 ha compare
  12. 13 Türkiye 2,750 ha compare

See the full ranking of 272 places →

More climate change data for Mexico

All data for Mexico →

Frequently asked questions

What is forest fires — burned area in Mexico?
Forest fires — burned area in Mexico was 557,291 ha in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest forest fires — burned area recorded in Mexico?
The highest recorded value was 867,807 ha in 1998.
What is the lowest forest fires — burned area recorded in Mexico?
The lowest recorded value was 36,828 ha in 2014.
How does Mexico rank for forest fires — burned area?
Mexico ranks 10th out of 219 countries with data for 2024.
Is forest fires — burned area rising or falling in Mexico?
Over the last ten years it is up 1,413.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Mexico 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 Mexico. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 26 September 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/forest-fires-burned-area-fao-tier-1/mexico/

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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.