Worldwide, around 120 million hectares of land were affected by wildfires in 2026, the lowest figure since 2012 and 41% below the average of the comparison years, according to the Global Wildfire Information System.
40% confidence
EnvironmentInternational
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The exact figure cited (120 million hectares, 41% below the comparison-years average, lowest since 2012) does not appear in any located source; the underlying GWIS/EFFIS 2026 burnt-area database would be needed to verify it.
The GWIS series cited (via Our World in Data) begins in 2012, so 'lowest since 2012' refers to a short baseline and does not amount to a long-term record low.
The 2026 GWIS data is explicitly incomplete (last updated 11 September 2026), so presenting a full-year 'lowest since 2012' figure is premature at the time of the claim (15 September 2026).
Independent fact-checks (Carbon Brief, 30 July 2026) show that the related 'quietest wildfire year' narrative drawn from GWIS data is misleading because Russia's substantially below-average 2026 fire activity skews the comparison.
Sources conflict on the direction of the 2026 global fire year: Copernicus reports record-low global biomass-burning emissions in the first half of 2026, whereas another source claims 2026 is on track to be the worst wildfire year on record; these use different metrics/periods and could not be reconciled from the evidence found.
Sources
PrimaryCopernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS)Lowest global biomass burning emissions on record during first half 2026 ... Severe haze episodes affected large parts of Southeast Asia during spring 2026, despite below-average wildfire activity over much of the upper [Northern Hemisphere].
SecondaryCarbon Brief — Factcheck: No, Europe is not having its 'quietest' year for wildfiresThese charts all use data from the Global Wildfire Information System (GWIS). ... In 2026, fires in Russia are substantially below average. Therefore, including Russia in this comparison creates the false impression that [Europe is having a quiet year].
TertiaryHannah Ritchie — Is Europe having a bad wildfire year?The underlying narrative is that Europe is having its lowest wildfire year on record, which is quite at odds with the huge wildfires we see from [the data].