Iowa Wildfire Risk Map
Iowa's fire activity is dominated by spring and fall grassland, field, and prairie fires across the state, often driven by dry, windy days; the larger seasonal concern for most residents is drifting wildfire smoke.
Reviewed by Tom Hunt, Wildfire Risk Expert
Check any Iowa 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.
Iowa live wildfire map
Active wildfires across Iowa — 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 Iowa active fire map →How Iowa wildfire risk is rated: FEMA's National Risk Index
The federal benchmark for Iowa 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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Iowa wildfire risk — frequently asked
How high is wildfire risk in Iowa?
Iowa's fire activity is dominated by spring and fall grassland, field, and prairie fires across the state, often driven by dry, windy days; the larger seasonal concern for most residents is drifting wildfire smoke. Check your exact IA address for a free 0–100 wildfire risk score.
How does FEMA rate wildfire risk in Iowa?
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 Iowa 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 Iowa?
In high-risk Iowa areas, wildfire hazard drives higher premiums and non-renewals. See the Iowa fire insurance guide for premium impact and how to find coverage.
How do I check my address's wildfire risk in Iowa?
Enter your exact Iowa street address on FireRisk.ai for a free street-level wildfire risk score, the nearest recorded fires, defensible-space zones, and home-insurance impact.