District of Columbia Wildfire Risk Map
Washington, D.C. has minimal wildfire risk of its own, but sits downwind of regional and Canadian wildfire smoke that has repeatedly pushed the capital's air quality into unhealthy ranges during recent summers.
Reviewed by Tom Hunt, Wildfire Risk Expert
Check any District of Columbia address — free
Fire locations come from NIFC — they update about once a day and are not real-time. In an emergency, always follow the official orders from your local authorities.
District of Columbia live wildfire map
Active wildfires across District of Columbia — perimeters and incident flames straight from NIFC, updated automatically. Tap any city or county marker to open its detailed fire risk report, or enter your exact address for a free street-level risk score.
See the live District of Columbia active fire map →How District of Columbia wildfire risk is rated: FEMA's National Risk Index
The federal benchmark for District of Columbia is FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI), which scores wildfire risk for every U.S. county and Census tract. Each place gets one of five relative ratings — Very Low, Relatively Low, Relatively Moderate, Relatively High, or Very High — describing its risk compared with all other places at the same level nationwide.
A community's wildfire rating combines three things: how much fire damage is expected each year (Expected Annual Loss), how vulnerable the population is (Social Vulnerability), and how well it can recover (Community Resilience). For wildfire specifically, FEMA weighs a community’s exposure, fire frequency, and historic loss ratio. Wildfire is one of 18 natural hazards the NRI tracks.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index — Wildfire ↗. A county or tract rating is a starting point — your individual home's score depends on its exact location, terrain, and construction.
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District of Columbia wildfire risk — frequently asked
How high is wildfire risk in District of Columbia?
Washington, D.C. has minimal wildfire risk of its own, but sits downwind of regional and Canadian wildfire smoke that has repeatedly pushed the capital's air quality into unhealthy ranges during recent summers. Check your exact DC address for a free 0–100 wildfire risk score.
How does FEMA rate wildfire risk in District of Columbia?
FEMA's National Risk Index scores wildfire risk for every U.S. county and Census tract and assigns one of five relative ratings — Very Low, Relatively Low, Relatively Moderate, Relatively High, or Very High. A District of Columbia community's wildfire rating reflects its expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience, weighing fire exposure, frequency, and historic loss ratio. Source: FEMA National Risk Index (hazards.fema.gov/nri/wildfire).
Is fire insurance hard to get in District of Columbia?
In high-risk District of Columbia areas, wildfire hazard drives higher premiums and non-renewals. See the District of Columbia fire insurance guide for premium impact and how to find coverage.
How do I check my address's wildfire risk in District of Columbia?
Enter your exact District of Columbia street address on FireRisk.ai for a free street-level wildfire risk score, the nearest recorded fires, defensible-space zones, and home-insurance impact.