Forest fires — Burned Area in Southern Asia

Southern Asia: Forest fires — Burned Area was 928,049 ha in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
928,049 ha
Change on year
up 27.3%
Rank
13th
of 31 groups
All-time high
2.08 million ha
in 2021
All-time low
123,818 ha
in 2002
Years of data
35
1990–2024

Forest fires — Burned Area in Southern Asia, 1990–2024

0500.0k1.0M1.5M2.0M1990200720241990: 852.5k ha1991: 852.5k ha1992: 852.5k ha1993: 852.5k ha1994: 852.5k ha1995: 852.5k ha1996: 183.4k ha1997: 149.0k ha1998: 165.9k ha1999: 316.0k ha2000: 185.8k ha2001: 257.2k ha2002: 123.8k ha2003: 683.4k ha2004: 970.9k ha2005: 646.0k ha2006: 707.2k ha2007: 993.9k ha2008: 662.1k ha2009: 1.9M ha2010: 1.6M ha2011: 820.0k ha2012: 1.9M ha2013: 1.2M ha2014: 1.0M ha2015: 628.0k ha2016: 1.2M ha2017: 1.4M ha2018: 1.1M ha2019: 861.7k ha2020: 393.2k ha2021: 2.1M ha2022: 845.3k ha2023: 729.2k ha2024: 928.0k ha

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

Analysis

Southern Asia recorded 928,049 ha for forest fires — burned area in 2024.

That represents a change of up 27.3% on the previous year and down 10.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, forest fires — burned area in Southern Asia peaked at 2.08 million ha in 2021 and was at its lowest, 123,818 ha, in 2002.

Southern Asia ranks 13th of 31 groups 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 Southern Asia, year by year

Annual values for Forest fires — Burned Area in Southern Asia, 1990 to 2024.
Year ha Change
1990 852,478 ha
1991 852,478 ha +0.0%
1992 852,478 ha +0.0%
1993 852,478 ha +0.0%
1994 852,478 ha +0.0%
1995 852,478 ha +0.0%
1996 183,357 ha -78.5%
1997 149,044 ha -18.7%
1998 165,860 ha +11.3%
1999 316,007 ha +90.5%
2000 185,830 ha -41.2%
2001 257,210 ha +38.4%
2002 123,818 ha -51.9%
2003 683,377 ha +451.9%
2004 970,852 ha +42.1%
2005 645,978 ha -33.5%
2006 707,159 ha +9.5%
2007 993,853 ha +40.5%
2008 662,138 ha -33.4%
2009 1.91 million ha +188.4%
2010 1.61 million ha -15.8%
2011 820,009 ha -49.0%
2012 1.88 million ha +129.3%
2013 1.23 million ha -34.6%
2014 1.04 million ha -15.7%
2015 627,978 ha -39.5%
2016 1.24 million ha +97.2%
2017 1.36 million ha +9.6%
2018 1.13 million ha -17.0%
2019 861,710 ha -23.5%
2020 393,207 ha -54.4%
2021 2.08 million ha +429.4%
2022 845,331 ha -59.4%
2023 729,168 ha -13.7%
2024 928,049 ha +27.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 592,914 ha 149,044 ha 852,478 ha 10
2000s 713,974 ha 123,818 ha 1.91 million ha 10
2010s 1.18 million ha 627,978 ha 1.88 million ha 10
2020s 995,483 ha 393,207 ha 2.08 million ha 5

Countries ranked near Southern Asia

  1. 10 Mexico 557,291 ha compare
  2. 11 India 523,649 ha compare
  3. 12 Cambodia 470,662 ha compare
  4. 13 Nepal 363,091 ha compare
  5. 14 Thailand 362,523 ha compare
  6. 15 South Sudan 289,236 ha compare
  7. 16 Sudan (former) 276,002 ha compare

See the full ranking of 272 places →

More climate change data for Southern Asia

All data for Southern Asia →

Frequently asked questions

What is forest fires — burned area in Southern Asia?
Forest fires — burned area in Southern Asia was 928,049 ha in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest forest fires — burned area recorded in Southern Asia?
The highest recorded value was 2.08 million ha in 2021.
What is the lowest forest fires — burned area recorded in Southern Asia?
The lowest recorded value was 123,818 ha in 2002.
How does Southern Asia rank for forest fires — burned area?
Southern Asia ranks 13th out of 31 groups with data for 2024.
Is forest fires — burned area rising or falling in Southern Asia?
Over the last ten years it is down 10.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Southern Asia 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 Southern Asia. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 24 August 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/forest-fires-burned-area-fao-tier-1/southern-asia/

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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.