Forest fires — Burned Area in New Zealand

New Zealand: Forest fires — Burned Area was 644.4 ha in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
644.4 ha
Change on year
up 114.2%
World rank
75th
of 219 countries
All-time high
1,569 ha
in 2019
All-time low
0 ha
in 2002
Years of data
35
1990–2024

Forest fires — Burned Area in New Zealand, 1990–2024

05001.0k1.5k1990200720241990: 263.2 ha1991: 263.2 ha1992: 263.2 ha1993: 263.2 ha1994: 263.2 ha1995: 263.2 ha1996: 143.7 ha1997: 70.5 ha1998: 83.5 ha1999: 73.8 ha2000: 362.3 ha2001: 429.6 ha2002: 0 ha2003: 215.2 ha2004: 43 ha2005: 0 ha2006: 43 ha2007: 966.8 ha2008: 279.8 ha2009: 129.1 ha2010: 129.1 ha2011: 21.5 ha2012: 257.8 ha2013: 257.8 ha2014: 0 ha2015: 0 ha2016: 0 ha2017: 430.1 ha2018: 0 ha2019: 1.6k ha2020: 645 ha2021: 364.9 ha2022: 171.9 ha2023: 300.8 ha2024: 644.4 ha

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for forest fires — burned area in New Zealand is 644.4 ha, measured in 2024.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 114.2% on the previous year and down 58.9% over five years.

Over the whole period, forest fires — burned area in New Zealand peaked at 1,569 ha in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0 ha, in 2002.

New Zealand ranks 75th 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 New Zealand, year by year

Annual values for Forest fires — Burned Area in New Zealand, 1990 to 2024.
Year ha Change
1990 263.2 ha
1991 263.2 ha +0.0%
1992 263.2 ha +0.0%
1993 263.2 ha +0.0%
1994 263.2 ha +0.0%
1995 263.2 ha +0.0%
1996 143.72 ha -45.4%
1997 70.47 ha -51.0%
1998 83.53 ha +18.5%
1999 73.79 ha -11.7%
2000 362.29 ha +391.0%
2001 429.63 ha +18.6%
2002 0 ha -100.0%
2003 215.16 ha
2004 42.97 ha -80.0%
2005 0 ha -100.0%
2006 43.04 ha
2007 966.79 ha +2146.4%
2008 279.78 ha -71.1%
2009 129.13 ha -53.8%
2010 129.1 ha -0.0%
2011 21.52 ha -83.3%
2012 257.83 ha +1098.3%
2013 257.77 ha -0.0%
2014 0 ha -100.0%
2015 0 ha
2016 0 ha
2017 430.14 ha
2018 0 ha -100.0%
2019 1,569 ha
2020 644.96 ha -58.9%
2021 364.89 ha -43.4%
2022 171.87 ha -52.9%
2023 300.84 ha +75.0%
2024 644.4 ha +114.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 195.07 ha 70.47 ha 263.2 ha 10
2000s 246.88 ha 0 ha 966.79 ha 10
2010s 266.55 ha 0 ha 1,569 ha 10
2020s 425.39 ha 171.87 ha 644.96 ha 5

Countries ranked near New Zealand

  1. 72 Equatorial Guinea 705.24 ha compare
  2. 73 Greece 665.99 ha compare
  3. 74 Spain 644.98 ha compare
  4. 76 Panama 577.16 ha compare
  5. 77 Dominican Republic 513.61 ha compare
  6. 78 Mongolia 495.5 ha compare

See the full ranking of 272 places →

More climate change data for New Zealand

All data for New Zealand →

Frequently asked questions

What is forest fires — burned area in New Zealand?
Forest fires — burned area in New Zealand was 644.4 ha in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest forest fires — burned area recorded in New Zealand?
The highest recorded value was 1,569 ha in 2019.
What is the lowest forest fires — burned area recorded in New Zealand?
The lowest recorded value was 0 ha in 2002.
How does New Zealand rank for forest fires — burned area?
New Zealand ranks 75th out of 219 countries with data for 2024.
Where does this New Zealand 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 New Zealand. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 26 August 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/forest-fires-burned-area-fao-tier-1/new-zealand/

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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.