Wildfires worldwide · Country
Sierra Leone: wildfires seen from space, 2000-2026
From November 2000 to 15 October 2026, NASA's MODIS satellites detected 587,092 vegetation fires in this country.
- Fires detected since 2000
- 587,092
- World rank
- #40 of 223
- Share of the world
- 0.5%
- Record year
- 2009
- 20-year change (Aqua)
- −11%
Fires detected per year
Terra from November 2000, Aqua from July 2002. 2026 runs to 15 October.
Year by year data
| Year | Detections |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 2,983 |
| 2002 | 3,291 |
| 2003 | 26,517 |
| 2004 | 19,623 |
| 2005 | 14,302 |
| 2006 | 24,210 |
| 2007 | 30,847 |
| 2008 | 21,870 |
| 2009 | 36,847 |
| 2010 | 19,087 |
| 2011 | 21,853 |
| 2012 | 33,751 |
| 2013 | 30,329 |
| 2014 | 35,085 |
| 2015 | 35,523 |
| 2016 | 24,269 |
| 2017 | 25,254 |
| 2018 | 19,904 |
| 2019 | 24,581 |
| 2020 | 22,724 |
| 2021 | 17,065 |
| 2022 | 17,635 |
| 2023 | 25,828 |
| 2024 | 26,825 |
| 2025 | 16,357 |
| 2026 | 10,431 |
Fire season: average detections per month, 2003-2025
In short
2009 is the year with the most detections (36,847); the record month is March 2015, with 20,348.
The fire season is concentrated between February and April: these three months hold 82% of an average year's detections.
Against 2003-2012, yearly detections in 2016-2025 fell by 11% (Aqua satellite).
The average radiative power of a detection (Aqua satellite) went from 53.8 MW in 2003-2012 to 45.5 MW in 2016-2025.
In 2026 (to 15 October): 10,431 detections; from January to September, −57% against the average of the same months in 2003-2025.
Method and sourcesFrequently asked questions
Sierra Leone: frequently asked questions
Sierra Leone: how many wildfires are there each year?
On average 24,795 vegetation fires detected a year by the MODIS satellites in 2003-2025, with a high of 36,847 in 2009.
Sierra Leone: are wildfires increasing?
Against 2003-2012, yearly detections in 2016-2025 fell by 11% (Aqua satellite).
Sierra Leone: when is the fire season?
The fire season is concentrated between February and April: these three months hold 82% of an average year's detections.
Sierra Leone: what was the worst year for wildfires?
2009, with 36,847 detections. The record month was March 2015, with 20,348.
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