Forest fires — Burning crop residues in Western Africa
Western Africa: Forest fires — Burning crop residues was 7.68 million t in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Forest fires — Burning crop residues in Western Africa, 1990–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in t.
Analysis
The most recent figure for forest fires — burning crop residues in Western Africa is 7.68 million t, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 38.9% on the previous year and down 41.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest fires — burning crop residues in Western Africa peaked at 115.22 million t in 1998 and was at its lowest, 2.79 million t, in 2018.
That places Western Africa 18th out of 31 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Forest fires — Burning crop residues in Western Africa, year by year
| Year | t | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 36.55 million t | — |
| 1991 | 36.55 million t | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 36.55 million t | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 36.55 million t | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 36.55 million t | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 36.55 million t | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 75.68 million t | +107.1% |
| 1997 | 73.75 million t | -2.6% |
| 1998 | 115.22 million t | +56.2% |
| 1999 | 105.27 million t | -8.6% |
| 2000 | 91.51 million t | -13.1% |
| 2001 | 17.55 million t | -80.8% |
| 2002 | 8.79 million t | -49.9% |
| 2003 | 13.61 million t | +54.9% |
| 2004 | 7.72 million t | -43.3% |
| 2005 | 10.42 million t | +35.1% |
| 2006 | 14.54 million t | +39.5% |
| 2007 | 12.04 million t | -17.2% |
| 2008 | 10.80 million t | -10.2% |
| 2009 | 13.93 million t | +28.9% |
| 2010 | 7.40 million t | -46.9% |
| 2011 | 8.08 million t | +9.2% |
| 2012 | 13.20 million t | +63.3% |
| 2013 | 12.67 million t | -4.0% |
| 2014 | 13.21 million t | +4.3% |
| 2015 | 21.62 million t | +63.6% |
| 2016 | 8.48 million t | -60.8% |
| 2017 | 4.76 million t | -43.9% |
| 2018 | 2.79 million t | -41.4% |
| 2019 | 8.25 million t | +196.3% |
| 2020 | 14.75 million t | +78.7% |
| 2021 | 5.40 million t | -63.4% |
| 2022 | 5.47 million t | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 5.53 million t | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 7.68 million t | +38.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 58.92 million t | 36.55 million t | 115.22 million t | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.09 million t | 7.72 million t | 91.51 million t | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.05 million t | 2.79 million t | 21.62 million t | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.77 million t | 5.40 million t | 14.75 million t | 5 |
Countries ranked near Western Africa
- 15 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 0 t compare
- 15 Micronesia (Federated States of) 0 t
- 15 Republic of Moldova 0 t compare
- 15 South Sudan 15.63 million t compare
- 15 Syrian Arab Republic 0 t compare
- 15 Wallis and Futuna Islands 0 t
- 15 Micronesia 0 t
- 15 Polynesia 0 t compare
- 16 Sudan (former) 14.93 million t compare
- 17 Paraguay 9.18 million t compare
- 18 Congo 8.93 million t compare
- 19 Ethiopia 7.14 million t compare
- 20 Australia and New Zealand 6.38 million t compare
- 21 Australia 6.35 million t compare
More climate change data for Western Africa
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 1.21 billion kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 227,102 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 79,704 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 147,398 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 300.77 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 5,264 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 41,728 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 14,712 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 27,017 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 55.52 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest fires — burning crop residues in Western Africa?
- Forest fires — burning crop residues in Western Africa was 7.68 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 Western Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 115.22 million t in 1998.
- What is the lowest forest fires — burning crop residues recorded in Western Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.79 million t in 2018.
- How does Western Africa rank for forest fires — burning crop residues?
- Western Africa ranks 18th out of 31 groups with data for 2024.
- Is forest fires — burning crop residues rising or falling in Western Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 41.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Western Africa 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.