Wildfires worldwide · Country
China: wildfires seen from space, 2000-2026
From November 2000 to 15 October 2026, NASA's MODIS satellites detected 2,144,204 vegetation fires in this country.
- Fires detected since 2000
- 2,144,204
- World rank
- #12 of 223
- Share of the world
- 1.9%
- Record year
- 2014
- 20-year change (Aqua)
- −17%
Fires detected per year
Terra from November 2000, Aqua from July 2002. 2026 runs to 15 October.
Year by year data
| Year | Detections |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 23,288 |
| 2002 | 30,008 |
| 2003 | 77,360 |
| 2004 | 79,146 |
| 2005 | 68,216 |
| 2006 | 69,387 |
| 2007 | 91,178 |
| 2008 | 107,983 |
| 2009 | 94,099 |
| 2010 | 97,587 |
| 2011 | 98,093 |
| 2012 | 89,460 |
| 2013 | 111,602 |
| 2014 | 145,349 |
| 2015 | 117,951 |
| 2016 | 93,356 |
| 2017 | 110,183 |
| 2018 | 57,869 |
| 2019 | 69,924 |
| 2020 | 63,556 |
| 2021 | 61,583 |
| 2022 | 59,465 |
| 2023 | 77,150 |
| 2024 | 82,984 |
| 2025 | 85,325 |
| 2026 | 79,038 |
Fire season: average detections per month, 2003-2025
In short
2014 is the year with the most detections (145,349); the record month is March 2008, with 32,630.
The fire season is concentrated between February and April: these three months hold 41% of an average year's detections.
Against 2003-2012, yearly detections in 2016-2025 fell by 17% (Aqua satellite).
The average radiative power of a detection (Aqua satellite) went from 25.3 MW in 2003-2012 to 19.5 MW in 2016-2025.
In 2026 (to 15 October): 79,038 detections.
Method and sourcesFrequently asked questions
China: frequently asked questions
China: how many wildfires are there each year?
On average 87,339 vegetation fires detected a year by the MODIS satellites in 2003-2025, with a high of 145,349 in 2014.
China: are wildfires increasing?
Against 2003-2012, yearly detections in 2016-2025 fell by 17% (Aqua satellite).
China: when is the fire season?
The fire season is concentrated between February and April: these three months hold 41% of an average year's detections.
China: what was the worst year for wildfires?
2014, with 145,349 detections. The record month was March 2008, with 32,630.
Other countries
- Central African Republic4,021,547
- Mozambique3,513,919
- United States3,007,752
- Tanzania2,195,436
- Bolivia1,855,429
- India1,839,644
- Nigeria1,836,682
- Canada1,756,249
The wildfire risk of your site
This map tells the story of the world. XN FireSight brings wildfire risk analysis to a single site, with a real report to browse page by page.
Discover XN FireSight