Savanna and woody savanna — Burned Area in Australia and New Zealand

Australia and New Zealand: Savanna and woody savanna — Burned Area was 2.73 million ha in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
2.73 million ha
Change on year
down 45.8%
World rank
12th
of 221 countries
All-time high
22.05 million ha
in 1999
All-time low
2.18 million ha
in 2010
Years of data
35
1990–2024

Savanna and woody savanna — Burned Area in Australia and New Zealand, 1990–2024

05.0M10.0M15.0M20.0M1990200720241990: 7.0M ha1991: 7.0M ha1992: 7.0M ha1993: 7.0M ha1994: 7.0M ha1995: 7.0M ha1996: 16.1M ha1997: 13.2M ha1998: 15.4M ha1999: 22.1M ha2000: 17.7M ha2001: 6.0M ha2002: 7.6M ha2003: 5.9M ha2004: 5.1M ha2005: 5.4M ha2006: 5.7M ha2007: 3.8M ha2008: 4.3M ha2009: 7.4M ha2010: 2.2M ha2011: 6.9M ha2012: 8.1M ha2013: 4.5M ha2014: 6.3M ha2015: 5.3M ha2016: 3.9M ha2017: 3.4M ha2018: 4.5M ha2019: 6.0M ha2020: 3.8M ha2021: 3.0M ha2022: 2.7M ha2023: 5.0M ha2024: 2.7M ha

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

Analysis

Australia and New Zealand recorded 2.73 million ha for savanna and woody savanna — burned area in 2024.

The figure is down 45.8% on the previous year and down 56.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, savanna and woody savanna — burned area in Australia and New Zealand peaked at 22.05 million ha in 1999 and was at its lowest, 2.18 million ha, in 2010.

Australia and New Zealand ranks 12th of 221 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

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

Savanna and woody savanna — Burned Area in Australia and New Zealand, year by year

Annual values for Savanna and woody savanna — Burned Area in Australia and New Zealand, 1990 to 2024.
Year ha Change
1990 7.03 million ha
1991 7.03 million ha +0.0%
1992 7.03 million ha +0.0%
1993 7.03 million ha +0.0%
1994 7.03 million ha +0.0%
1995 7.03 million ha +0.0%
1996 16.06 million ha +128.5%
1997 13.18 million ha -17.9%
1998 15.37 million ha +16.6%
1999 22.05 million ha +43.5%
2000 17.67 million ha -19.8%
2001 5.98 million ha -66.2%
2002 7.64 million ha +27.8%
2003 5.94 million ha -22.2%
2004 5.05 million ha -15.0%
2005 5.45 million ha +7.8%
2006 5.73 million ha +5.2%
2007 3.80 million ha -33.7%
2008 4.27 million ha +12.4%
2009 7.36 million ha +72.3%
2010 2.18 million ha -70.4%
2011 6.86 million ha +214.8%
2012 8.06 million ha +17.5%
2013 4.47 million ha -44.5%
2014 6.30 million ha +40.9%
2015 5.33 million ha -15.4%
2016 3.91 million ha -26.6%
2017 3.35 million ha -14.3%
2018 4.50 million ha +34.2%
2019 6.02 million ha +33.9%
2020 3.83 million ha -36.5%
2021 3.00 million ha -21.5%
2022 2.67 million ha -11.0%
2023 5.04 million ha +88.4%
2024 2.73 million ha -45.8%

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Savanna and woody savanna — Burned Area in Australia and New Zealand changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2011 +214.8% 2.18 million ha 6.86 million ha

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 10.88 million ha 7.03 million ha 22.05 million ha 10
2000s 6.89 million ha 3.80 million ha 17.67 million ha 10
2010s 5.10 million ha 2.18 million ha 8.06 million ha 10
2020s 3.45 million ha 2.67 million ha 5.04 million ha 5

Countries ranked near Australia and New Zealand

  1. 9 Lao People's Democratic Republic 499,399 ha compare
  2. 9 Russian Federation 6.20 million ha compare
  3. 10 Canada 3.74 million ha compare
  4. 10 Viet Nam 103,642 ha compare
  5. 11 Guinea 2.73 million ha compare
  6. 11 Melanesia 83,835 ha compare
  7. 12 Türkiye 12,889 ha compare
  8. 13 Australia 2.73 million ha compare
  9. 13 Timor-Leste 2,330 ha compare
  10. 14 Ethiopia 2.32 million ha compare
  11. 14 Syrian Arab Republic 966.09 ha compare
  12. 15 Congo 1.87 million ha compare
  13. 15 Democratic People's Republic of Korea 494.22 ha compare

See the full ranking of 274 places →

More climate change data for Australia and New Zealand

All data for Australia and New Zealand →

Frequently asked questions

What is savanna and woody savanna — burned area in Australia and New Zealand?
Savanna and woody savanna — burned area in Australia and New Zealand was 2.73 million ha in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest savanna and woody savanna — burned area recorded in Australia and New Zealand?
The highest recorded value was 22.05 million ha in 1999.
What is the lowest savanna and woody savanna — burned area recorded in Australia and New Zealand?
The lowest recorded value was 2.18 million ha in 2010.
How does Australia and New Zealand rank for savanna and woody savanna — burned area?
Australia and New Zealand ranks 12th out of 221 countries with data for 2024.
Is savanna and woody savanna — burned area rising or falling in Australia and New Zealand?
Over the last ten years it is down 56.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Australia and New Zealand data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Savanna and woody savanna — Burned Area. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Savanna and woody savanna — Burned Area in Australia and New Zealand. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/savanna-and-woody-savanna-burned-area-fao-tier-1/australia-and-new-zealand/

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About this data

Indicator
Savanna and woody savanna — Burned Area
Unit
ha
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO)
Coverage
274 places, 9,364 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.