Wildfires worldwide · Country
Costa Rica: wildfires seen from space, 2000-2026
From November 2000 to 15 October 2026, NASA's MODIS satellites detected 28,349 vegetation fires in this country.
- Fires detected since 2000
- 28,349
- World rank
- #97 of 223
- Share of the world
- 0.03%
- Record year
- 2013
- 20-year change (Aqua)
- −7%
Fires detected per year
Terra from November 2000, Aqua from July 2002. 2026 runs to 15 October.
Year by year data
| Year | Detections |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 805 |
| 2002 | 695 |
| 2003 | 1,595 |
| 2004 | 1,441 |
| 2005 | 999 |
| 2006 | 899 |
| 2007 | 1,085 |
| 2008 | 767 |
| 2009 | 1,045 |
| 2010 | 949 |
| 2011 | 799 |
| 2012 | 1,231 |
| 2013 | 1,730 |
| 2014 | 1,362 |
| 2015 | 1,569 |
| 2016 | 1,665 |
| 2017 | 1,049 |
| 2018 | 1,081 |
| 2019 | 1,265 |
| 2020 | 1,135 |
| 2021 | 603 |
| 2022 | 1,147 |
| 2023 | 719 |
| 2024 | 1,181 |
| 2025 | 425 |
| 2026 | 1,056 |
Fire season: average detections per month, 2003-2025
In short
2013 is the year with the most detections (1,730); the record month is April 2016, with 643.
The fire season is concentrated between February and April: these three months hold 79% of an average year's detections.
Against 2003-2012, yearly detections in 2016-2025 stayed similar (−7%, Aqua satellite).
The average radiative power of a detection (Aqua satellite) went from 26.6 MW in 2003-2012 to 27.1 MW in 2016-2025.
In 2026 (to 15 October): 1,056 detections.
Method and sourcesFrequently asked questions
Costa Rica: frequently asked questions
Costa Rica: how many wildfires are there each year?
On average 1,119 vegetation fires detected a year by the MODIS satellites in 2003-2025, with a high of 1,730 in 2013.
Costa Rica: are wildfires increasing?
Against 2003-2012, yearly detections in 2016-2025 stayed similar (−7%, Aqua satellite).
Costa Rica: when is the fire season?
The fire season is concentrated between February and April: these three months hold 79% of an average year's detections.
Costa Rica: what was the worst year for wildfires?
2013, with 1,730 detections. The record month was April 2016, with 643.
Other countries
- Japan31,812
- Niger30,675
- Uruguay29,629
- Sri Lanka28,980
- El Salvador26,569
- Gambia26,215
- Egypt24,448
- Bosnia & Herzegovina22,925
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