Massachusetts Wildfire Risk Map
Massachusetts sees most wildfire in spring, when dry brush and the fire-prone pine barrens of Plymouth County and Cape Cod carry grass and woodland fires. Drought years raise the risk, and summers bring western and Canadian smoke.
Reviewed by Tom Hunt, Wildfire Risk Expert
Check any Massachusetts 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.
Massachusetts live wildfire map
Active wildfires across Massachusetts — 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 Massachusetts active fire map →How Massachusetts wildfire risk is rated: FEMA's National Risk Index
The federal benchmark for Massachusetts 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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Massachusetts wildfire risk — frequently asked
How high is wildfire risk in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts sees most wildfire in spring, when dry brush and the fire-prone pine barrens of Plymouth County and Cape Cod carry grass and woodland fires. Drought years raise the risk, and summers bring western and Canadian smoke. Check your exact MA address for a free 0–100 wildfire risk score.
How does FEMA rate wildfire risk in Massachusetts?
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 Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts?
In high-risk Massachusetts areas, wildfire hazard drives higher premiums and non-renewals. See the Massachusetts fire insurance guide for premium impact and how to find coverage.
How do I check my address's wildfire risk in Massachusetts?
Enter your exact Massachusetts street address on FireRisk.ai for a free street-level wildfire risk score, the nearest recorded fires, defensible-space zones, and home-insurance impact.