Savanna fires — Burned Area in Eastern Africa

Eastern Africa: Savanna fires — Burned Area was 75.94 million ha in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
75.94 million ha
Change on year
up 6.3%
Rank
7th
of 31 groups
All-time high
91.51 million ha
in 2012
All-time low
50.97 million ha
in 2000
Years of data
35
1990–2024

Savanna fires — Burned Area in Eastern Africa, 1990–2024

020.0M40.0M60.0M80.0M100.0M1990200720241990: 59.0M ha1991: 59.0M ha1992: 59.0M ha1993: 59.0M ha1994: 59.0M ha1995: 59.0M ha1996: 58.9M ha1997: 55.6M ha1998: 65.5M ha1999: 58.2M ha2000: 51.0M ha2001: 52.2M ha2002: 60.4M ha2003: 70.7M ha2004: 64.9M ha2005: 73.6M ha2006: 57.2M ha2007: 69.9M ha2008: 66.6M ha2009: 61.5M ha2010: 67.0M ha2011: 60.2M ha2012: 91.5M ha2013: 87.0M ha2014: 83.2M ha2015: 87.3M ha2016: 85.4M ha2017: 74.6M ha2018: 81.7M ha2019: 69.7M ha2020: 76.0M ha2021: 74.9M ha2022: 74.5M ha2023: 71.5M ha2024: 75.9M ha

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for savanna fires — burned area in Eastern Africa is 75.94 million ha, measured in 2024.

The figure is up 6.3% on the previous year and down 8.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, savanna fires — burned area in Eastern Africa peaked at 91.51 million ha in 2012 and was at its lowest, 50.97 million ha, in 2000.

Eastern Africa ranks 7th of 31 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.

Savanna fires — Burned Area in Eastern Africa, year by year

Annual values for Savanna fires — Burned Area in Eastern Africa, 1990 to 2024.
Year ha Change
1990 59.03 million ha
1991 59.03 million ha +0.0%
1992 59.03 million ha +0.0%
1993 59.03 million ha +0.0%
1994 59.03 million ha +0.0%
1995 59.03 million ha +0.0%
1996 58.86 million ha -0.3%
1997 55.55 million ha -5.6%
1998 65.51 million ha +17.9%
1999 58.17 million ha -11.2%
2000 50.97 million ha -12.4%
2001 52.22 million ha +2.5%
2002 60.38 million ha +15.6%
2003 70.65 million ha +17.0%
2004 64.92 million ha -8.1%
2005 73.63 million ha +13.4%
2006 57.19 million ha -22.3%
2007 69.89 million ha +22.2%
2008 66.64 million ha -4.6%
2009 61.47 million ha -7.8%
2010 66.97 million ha +9.0%
2011 60.24 million ha -10.1%
2012 91.51 million ha +51.9%
2013 86.97 million ha -5.0%
2014 83.21 million ha -4.3%
2015 87.33 million ha +4.9%
2016 85.44 million ha -2.2%
2017 74.55 million ha -12.7%
2018 81.70 million ha +9.6%
2019 69.68 million ha -14.7%
2020 76.04 million ha +9.1%
2021 74.90 million ha -1.5%
2022 74.54 million ha -0.5%
2023 71.47 million ha -4.1%
2024 75.94 million ha +6.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 59.23 million ha 55.55 million ha 65.51 million ha 10
2000s 62.80 million ha 50.97 million ha 73.63 million ha 10
2010s 78.76 million ha 60.24 million ha 91.51 million ha 10
2020s 74.58 million ha 71.47 million ha 76.04 million ha 5

Countries ranked near Eastern Africa

  1. 4 Australia 34.24 million ha compare
  2. 5 Sudan (former) 31.05 million ha compare
  3. 6 South Sudan 24.46 million ha compare
  4. 7 Zambia 18.80 million ha compare
  5. 8 Brazil 17.29 million ha compare
  6. 9 Mozambique 15.15 million ha compare
  7. 10 Central African Republic 11.06 million ha compare

See the full ranking of 274 places →

More climate change data for Eastern Africa

All data for Eastern Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is savanna fires — burned area in Eastern Africa?
Savanna fires — burned area in Eastern Africa was 75.94 million ha in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest savanna fires — burned area recorded in Eastern Africa?
The highest recorded value was 91.51 million ha in 2012.
What is the lowest savanna fires — burned area recorded in Eastern Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 50.97 million ha in 2000.
How does Eastern Africa rank for savanna fires — burned area?
Eastern Africa ranks 7th out of 31 groups with data for 2024.
Is savanna fires — burned area rising or falling in Eastern Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 8.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Eastern Africa data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Savanna fires — Burned Area. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Savanna fires — Burned Area in Eastern Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/savanna-fires-burned-area-fao-tier-1/eastern-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Savanna fires — 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.