Savanna fires — Burned Area in South America

South America: Savanna fires — Burned Area was 31.57 million ha in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
31.57 million ha
Change on year
up 45.9%
Rank
11th
of 31 groups
All-time high
45.51 million ha
in 2007
All-time low
13.07 million ha
in 2000
Years of data
35
1990–2024

Savanna fires — Burned Area in South America, 1990–2024

10.0M20.0M30.0M40.0M50.0M1990200720241990: 26.0M ha1991: 26.0M ha1992: 26.0M ha1993: 26.0M ha1994: 26.0M ha1995: 26.0M ha1996: 15.7M ha1997: 16.3M ha1998: 25.1M ha1999: 21.5M ha2000: 13.1M ha2001: 27.5M ha2002: 33.0M ha2003: 29.9M ha2004: 31.6M ha2005: 32.4M ha2006: 22.1M ha2007: 45.5M ha2008: 25.4M ha2009: 17.1M ha2010: 43.3M ha2011: 21.4M ha2012: 29.9M ha2013: 18.2M ha2014: 22.6M ha2015: 25.2M ha2016: 24.8M ha2017: 30.2M ha2018: 18.0M ha2019: 27.9M ha2020: 34.1M ha2021: 22.9M ha2022: 24.3M ha2023: 21.6M ha2024: 31.6M ha

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

Analysis

South America recorded 31.57 million ha for savanna fires — burned area in 2024.

That represents a change of up 45.9% on the previous year and up 39.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, savanna fires — burned area in South America peaked at 45.51 million ha in 2007 and was at its lowest, 13.07 million ha, in 2000.

South America ranks 11th of 31 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.

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

Savanna fires — Burned Area in South America, year by year

Annual values for Savanna fires — Burned Area in South America, 1990 to 2024.
Year ha Change
1990 25.95 million ha
1991 25.95 million ha +0.0%
1992 25.95 million ha +0.0%
1993 25.95 million ha +0.0%
1994 25.95 million ha +0.0%
1995 25.95 million ha +0.0%
1996 15.72 million ha -39.4%
1997 16.30 million ha +3.7%
1998 25.14 million ha +54.2%
1999 21.54 million ha -14.3%
2000 13.07 million ha -39.4%
2001 27.49 million ha +110.4%
2002 32.98 million ha +19.9%
2003 29.94 million ha -9.2%
2004 31.64 million ha +5.7%
2005 32.42 million ha +2.5%
2006 22.11 million ha -31.8%
2007 45.51 million ha +105.9%
2008 25.41 million ha -44.2%
2009 17.07 million ha -32.8%
2010 43.34 million ha +153.9%
2011 21.42 million ha -50.6%
2012 29.91 million ha +39.7%
2013 18.16 million ha -39.3%
2014 22.64 million ha +24.7%
2015 25.23 million ha +11.4%
2016 24.78 million ha -1.8%
2017 30.22 million ha +21.9%
2018 18.01 million ha -40.4%
2019 27.89 million ha +54.9%
2020 34.13 million ha +22.4%
2021 22.94 million ha -32.8%
2022 24.30 million ha +5.9%
2023 21.64 million ha -10.9%
2024 31.57 million ha +45.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 23.44 million ha 15.72 million ha 25.95 million ha 10
2000s 27.76 million ha 13.07 million ha 45.51 million ha 10
2010s 26.16 million ha 18.01 million ha 43.34 million ha 10
2020s 26.92 million ha 21.64 million ha 34.13 million ha 5

Countries ranked near South America

  1. 8 Brazil 17.29 million ha compare
  2. 9 Mozambique 15.15 million ha compare
  3. 10 Central African Republic 11.06 million ha compare
  4. 11 Russian Federation 8.15 million ha compare
  5. 12 Mali 6.49 million ha compare
  6. 13 Sudan 5.35 million ha compare
  7. 14 Chad 4.71 million ha compare
  8. 14 Türkiye 56,239 ha compare

See the full ranking of 274 places →

More climate change data for South America

All data for South America →

Frequently asked questions

What is savanna fires — burned area in South America?
Savanna fires — burned area in South America was 31.57 million ha in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest savanna fires — burned area recorded in South America?
The highest recorded value was 45.51 million ha in 2007.
What is the lowest savanna fires — burned area recorded in South America?
The lowest recorded value was 13.07 million ha in 2000.
How does South America rank for savanna fires — burned area?
South America ranks 11th out of 31 groups with data for 2024.
Is savanna fires — burned area rising or falling in South America?
Over the last ten years it is up 39.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South America 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 South America. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/savanna-fires-burned-area-fao-tier-1/south-america/

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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.