Forest fires — Burned Area in South Africa
South Africa: Forest fires — Burned Area was 68,512 ha in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Forest fires — Burned Area in South Africa, 1990–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in ha.
Analysis
In 2024, forest fires — burned area in South Africa stood at 68,512 ha.
That represents a change of up 323.9% on the previous year and up 69.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest fires — burned area in South Africa peaked at 246,804 ha in 1998 and was at its lowest, 11,575 ha, in 2022.
That places South Africa 30th out of 219 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Forest fires — Burned Area in South Africa, year by year
| Year | ha | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 55,024 ha | — |
| 1991 | 55,024 ha | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 55,024 ha | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 55,024 ha | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 55,024 ha | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 55,024 ha | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 142,364 ha | +158.7% |
| 1997 | 141,422 ha | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 246,804 ha | +74.5% |
| 1999 | 165,174 ha | -33.1% |
| 2000 | 55,906 ha | -66.2% |
| 2001 | 20,040 ha | -64.2% |
| 2002 | 18,567 ha | -7.4% |
| 2003 | 45,541 ha | +145.3% |
| 2004 | 16,914 ha | -62.9% |
| 2005 | 67,684 ha | +300.2% |
| 2006 | 20,040 ha | -70.4% |
| 2007 | 74,236 ha | +270.4% |
| 2008 | 43,721 ha | -41.1% |
| 2009 | 23,328 ha | -46.6% |
| 2010 | 34,571 ha | +48.2% |
| 2011 | 28,478 ha | -17.6% |
| 2012 | 30,152 ha | +5.9% |
| 2013 | 29,114 ha | -3.4% |
| 2014 | 40,361 ha | +38.6% |
| 2015 | 19,589 ha | -51.5% |
| 2016 | 24,210 ha | +23.6% |
| 2017 | 34,642 ha | +43.1% |
| 2018 | 84,695 ha | +144.5% |
| 2019 | 37,722 ha | -55.5% |
| 2020 | 32,388 ha | -14.1% |
| 2021 | 21,781 ha | -32.7% |
| 2022 | 11,575 ha | -46.9% |
| 2023 | 16,162 ha | +39.6% |
| 2024 | 68,512 ha | +323.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 102,591 ha | 55,024 ha | 246,804 ha | 10 |
| 2000s | 38,598 ha | 16,914 ha | 74,236 ha | 10 |
| 2010s | 36,353 ha | 19,589 ha | 84,695 ha | 10 |
| 2020s | 30,083 ha | 11,575 ha | 68,512 ha | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More climate change data for South Africa
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 34,365 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 11,741 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 22,624 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 44.31 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 807.99 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 5,495 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 5,119 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 376.6 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 19.32 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 13.45 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest fires — burned area in South Africa?
- Forest fires — burned area in South Africa was 68,512 ha in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest forest fires — burned area recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 246,804 ha in 1998.
- What is the lowest forest fires — burned area recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 11,575 ha in 2022.
- How does South Africa rank for forest fires — burned area?
- South Africa ranks 30th out of 219 countries with data for 2024.
- Is forest fires — burned area rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 69.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO).
About this data
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.