Forest fires — Burned Area in Western Europe

Western Europe: Forest fires — Burned Area was 796.38 ha in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
796.38 ha
Change on year
down 58.4%
Rank
28th
of 31 groups
All-time high
18,480 ha
in 2022
All-time low
215.24 ha
in 2006
Years of data
35
1990–2024

Forest fires — Burned Area in Western Europe, 1990–2024

05.0k10.0k15.0k20.0k1990200720241990: 4.2k ha1991: 4.2k ha1992: 4.2k ha1993: 4.2k ha1994: 4.2k ha1995: 4.2k ha1996: 1.5k ha1997: 1.7k ha1998: 2.4k ha1999: 2.3k ha2000: 3.7k ha2001: 2.0k ha2002: 2.3k ha2003: 16.7k ha2004: 2.9k ha2005: 6.1k ha2006: 215.2 ha2007: 1.1k ha2008: 2.9k ha2009: 5.3k ha2010: 1.8k ha2011: 1.2k ha2012: 10.7k ha2013: 301.4 ha2014: 5.3k ha2015: 946.3 ha2016: 989.5 ha2017: 12.3k ha2018: 753.2 ha2019: 9.2k ha2020: 2.0k ha2021: 3.1k ha2022: 18.5k ha2023: 1.9k ha2024: 796.4 ha

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

Analysis

Western Europe recorded 796.38 ha for forest fires — burned area in 2024.

That represents a change of down 58.4% on the previous year and down 85.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, forest fires — burned area in Western Europe peaked at 18,480 ha in 2022 and was at its lowest, 215.24 ha, in 2006.

That places Western Europe 28th out of 31 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Forest fires — Burned Area in Western Europe, year by year

Annual values for Forest fires — Burned Area in Western Europe, 1990 to 2024.
Year ha Change
1990 4,166 ha
1991 4,166 ha +0.0%
1992 4,166 ha +0.0%
1993 4,166 ha +0.0%
1994 4,166 ha +0.0%
1995 4,166 ha +0.0%
1996 1,451 ha -65.2%
1997 1,671 ha +15.2%
1998 2,410 ha +44.2%
1999 2,285 ha -5.2%
2000 3,687 ha +61.3%
2001 2,000 ha -45.8%
2002 2,323 ha +16.2%
2003 16,668 ha +617.6%
2004 2,860 ha -82.8%
2005 6,065 ha +112.0%
2006 215.24 ha -96.5%
2007 1,141 ha +430.0%
2008 2,903 ha +154.5%
2009 5,290 ha +82.2%
2010 1,806 ha -65.9%
2011 1,226 ha -32.1%
2012 10,709 ha +773.3%
2013 301.36 ha -97.2%
2014 5,335 ha +1670.3%
2015 946.3 ha -82.3%
2016 989.46 ha +4.6%
2017 12,324 ha +1145.5%
2018 753.24 ha -93.9%
2019 9,161 ha +1116.2%
2020 2,021 ha -77.9%
2021 3,097 ha +53.2%
2022 18,480 ha +496.7%
2023 1,914 ha -89.6%
2024 796.38 ha -58.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 3,282 ha 1,451 ha 4,166 ha 10
2000s 4,315 ha 215.24 ha 16,668 ha 10
2010s 4,355 ha 301.36 ha 12,324 ha 10
2020s 5,262 ha 796.38 ha 18,480 ha 5

Countries ranked near Western Europe

  1. 25 Peru 112,510 ha compare
  2. 26 Cameroon 92,372 ha compare
  3. 27 China 85,701 ha compare
  4. 27 China, mainland 85,701 ha compare
  5. 29 Chad 83,816 ha compare
  6. 30 South Africa 68,512 ha compare
  7. 31 Nicaragua 61,142 ha compare

See the full ranking of 272 places →

More climate change data for Western Europe

All data for Western Europe →

Frequently asked questions

What is forest fires — burned area in Western Europe?
Forest fires — burned area in Western Europe was 796.38 ha in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest forest fires — burned area recorded in Western Europe?
The highest recorded value was 18,480 ha in 2022.
What is the lowest forest fires — burned area recorded in Western Europe?
The lowest recorded value was 215.24 ha in 2006.
How does Western Europe rank for forest fires — burned area?
Western Europe ranks 28th out of 31 groups with data for 2024.
Is forest fires — burned area rising or falling in Western Europe?
Over the last ten years it is down 85.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Western Europe 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 Western Europe. 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/western-europe/

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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.