Open shrubland — Burned Area in Northern America

Northern America: Open shrubland — Burned Area was 97,597 ha in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
97,597 ha
Change on year
down 72.5%
Rank
15th
of 31 groups
All-time high
1.54 million ha
in 1998
All-time low
13,275 ha
in 2001
Years of data
35
1990–2024

Open shrubland — Burned Area in Northern America, 1990–2024

0500.0k1.0M1.5M1990200720241990: 263.5k ha1991: 263.5k ha1992: 263.5k ha1993: 263.5k ha1994: 263.5k ha1995: 263.5k ha1996: 612.8k ha1997: 414.7k ha1998: 1.5M ha1999: 804.7k ha2000: 389.7k ha2001: 13.3k ha2002: 200.1k ha2003: 74.9k ha2004: 299.3k ha2005: 590.6k ha2006: 109.4k ha2007: 156.6k ha2008: 72.0k ha2009: 81.4k ha2010: 93.8k ha2011: 349.0k ha2012: 97.6k ha2013: 113.6k ha2014: 143.6k ha2015: 237.5k ha2016: 53.3k ha2017: 105.3k ha2018: 58.1k ha2019: 92.0k ha2020: 207.5k ha2021: 93.5k ha2022: 179.1k ha2023: 355.2k ha2024: 97.6k ha

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for open shrubland — burned area in Northern America is 97,597 ha, measured in 2024.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 72.5% on the previous year and down 32.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, open shrubland — burned area in Northern America peaked at 1.54 million ha in 1998 and was at its lowest, 13,275 ha, in 2001.

Northern America ranks 15th 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.

Open shrubland — Burned Area in Northern America, year by year

Annual values for Open shrubland — Burned Area in Northern America, 1990 to 2024.
Year ha Change
1990 263,467 ha
1991 263,467 ha +0.0%
1992 263,467 ha +0.0%
1993 263,467 ha +0.0%
1994 263,467 ha +0.0%
1995 263,467 ha +0.0%
1996 612,841 ha +132.6%
1997 414,684 ha -32.3%
1998 1.54 million ha +272.4%
1999 804,693 ha -47.9%
2000 389,688 ha -51.6%
2001 13,275 ha -96.6%
2002 200,052 ha +1407.0%
2003 74,858 ha -62.6%
2004 299,292 ha +299.8%
2005 590,598 ha +97.3%
2006 109,367 ha -81.5%
2007 156,603 ha +43.2%
2008 71,973 ha -54.0%
2009 81,447 ha +13.2%
2010 93,789 ha +15.2%
2011 349,011 ha +272.1%
2012 97,617 ha -72.0%
2013 113,612 ha +16.4%
2014 143,594 ha +26.4%
2015 237,506 ha +65.4%
2016 53,338 ha -77.5%
2017 105,344 ha +97.5%
2018 58,114 ha -44.8%
2019 92,001 ha +58.3%
2020 207,531 ha +125.6%
2021 93,537 ha -54.9%
2022 179,092 ha +91.5%
2023 355,154 ha +98.3%
2024 97,597 ha -72.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 495,737 ha 263,467 ha 1.54 million ha 10
2000s 198,715 ha 13,275 ha 590,598 ha 10
2010s 134,393 ha 53,338 ha 349,011 ha 10
2020s 186,582 ha 93,537 ha 355,154 ha 5

Countries ranked near Northern America

  1. 12 Mexico 18,782 ha compare
  2. 13 Pakistan 18,458 ha compare
  3. 14 Madagascar 17,426 ha compare
  4. 15 Mozambique 16,337 ha compare
  5. 16 Zimbabwe 11,256 ha compare
  6. 17 Sudan 10,480 ha compare
  7. 18 Mali 7,765 ha compare

See the full ranking of 270 places →

More climate change data for Northern America

All data for Northern America →

Frequently asked questions

What is open shrubland — burned area in Northern America?
Open shrubland — burned area in Northern America was 97,597 ha in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest open shrubland — burned area recorded in Northern America?
The highest recorded value was 1.54 million ha in 1998.
What is the lowest open shrubland — burned area recorded in Northern America?
The lowest recorded value was 13,275 ha in 2001.
How does Northern America rank for open shrubland — burned area?
Northern America ranks 15th out of 31 groups with data for 2024.
Is open shrubland — burned area rising or falling in Northern America?
Over the last ten years it is down 32.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Northern America data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Open shrubland — Burned Area. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Open shrubland — Burned Area in Northern America. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/open-shrubland-burned-area-fao-tier-1/northern-america/

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About this data

Indicator
Open shrubland — Burned Area
Unit
ha
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO)
Coverage
270 places, 9,224 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.