Forest fires — Burning crop residues in South America
South America: Forest fires — Burning crop residues was 643.25 million t in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Forest fires — Burning crop residues in South America, 1990–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in t.
Analysis
South America recorded 643.25 million t for forest fires — burning crop residues in 2024. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of up 251.2% on the previous year and up 714.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest fires — burning crop residues in South America peaked at 643.25 million t in 2024 and was at its lowest, 50.96 million t, in 2000.
South America ranks 7th of 31 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Forest fires — Burning crop residues in South America, year by year
| Year | t | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 193.54 million t | — |
| 1991 | 193.54 million t | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 193.54 million t | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 193.54 million t | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 193.54 million t | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 193.54 million t | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 107.78 million t | -44.3% |
| 1997 | 129.59 million t | +20.2% |
| 1998 | 185.75 million t | +43.3% |
| 1999 | 189.18 million t | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 50.96 million t | -73.1% |
| 2001 | 114.32 million t | +124.3% |
| 2002 | 226.97 million t | +98.5% |
| 2003 | 184.33 million t | -18.8% |
| 2004 | 303.70 million t | +64.8% |
| 2005 | 275.16 million t | -9.4% |
| 2006 | 167.51 million t | -39.1% |
| 2007 | 365.80 million t | +118.4% |
| 2008 | 133.95 million t | -63.4% |
| 2009 | 61.04 million t | -54.4% |
| 2010 | 437.40 million t | +616.5% |
| 2011 | 107.38 million t | -75.5% |
| 2012 | 147.49 million t | +37.4% |
| 2013 | 62.77 million t | -57.4% |
| 2014 | 78.98 million t | +25.8% |
| 2015 | 157.49 million t | +99.4% |
| 2016 | 134.63 million t | -14.5% |
| 2017 | 177.35 million t | +31.7% |
| 2018 | 74.90 million t | -57.8% |
| 2019 | 252.45 million t | +237.0% |
| 2020 | 280.00 million t | +10.9% |
| 2021 | 190.01 million t | -32.1% |
| 2022 | 189.51 million t | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 183.15 million t | -3.4% |
| 2024 | 643.25 million t | +251.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 177.36 million t | 107.78 million t | 193.54 million t | 10 |
| 2000s | 188.37 million t | 50.96 million t | 365.80 million t | 10 |
| 2010s | 163.09 million t | 62.77 million t | 437.40 million t | 10 |
| 2020s | 297.19 million t | 183.15 million t | 643.25 million t | 5 |
Countries ranked near South America
- 4 Mozambique 116.41 million t compare
- 5 Angola 99.51 million t compare
- 5 Democratic Republic of the Congo 188.95 million t compare
- 6 Lao People's Democratic Republic 25.28 million t compare
- 6 OECD 83.61 million t compare
- 7 Myanmar 68.71 million t compare
- 7 United Republic of Tanzania 21.93 million t compare
- 8 Russian Federation 30.67 million t compare
- 8 Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 17.03 million t compare
- 9 Canada 30.48 million t compare
- 10 Mexico 28.74 million t compare
- 10 Viet Nam 4.02 million t compare
More climate change data for South America
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 12.72 billion kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 1.01 million kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 224,200 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 781,384 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 846.04 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 27,907 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 123,748 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 96,422 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 27,326 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 363.86 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest fires — burning crop residues in South America?
- Forest fires — burning crop residues in South America was 643.25 million t in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest forest fires — burning crop residues recorded in South America?
- The highest recorded value was 643.25 million t in 2024.
- What is the lowest forest fires — burning crop residues recorded in South America?
- The lowest recorded value was 50.96 million t in 2000.
- How does South America rank for forest fires — burning crop residues?
- South America ranks 7th out of 31 groups with data for 2024.
- Is forest fires — burning crop residues rising or falling in South America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 714.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South America data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Forest fires — Burning crop residues (Biomass burned, dry matter). 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.