Climate change has made wildfire risk a major concern for homeowners across the western US. I pulled data from the US Forest Service and NIFC to build a risk lookup tool for every zip code in America.
The Highest-Risk Areas
Using USFS Wildfire Risk to Potential Structures data:
California dominates the high-risk list, but it's not alone:
- Parts of Colorado (particularly the Front Range foothills)
- Oregon and Washington (especially the eastern slopes)
- Montana and Idaho (wildland-urban interface areas)
- Arizona (Prescott, Flagstaff areas)
- Texas (central hill country)
Why This Matters for Homeowners
Wildfire risk directly affects:
- Home insurance premiums — some areas have seen 200-400% increases
- Property values — high-risk areas are starting to see price adjustments
- Insurability — some carriers are dropping coverage entirely in extreme-risk zones
- Mitigation requirements — defensible space rules, fire-resistant materials
What the Data Shows
The tool I built combines:
- USFS fireshed assessments — risk scores based on vegetation, terrain, and fire history
- Historical fire data — from NIFC incident records
- Community risk ratings — composite scores accounting for exposure and vulnerability
Each zip code page shows the risk level, contributing factors, nearby area comparisons, and what the score means for insurance.
Check Your Zip Code
Free at wildfire-risk.pages.dev — enter any US zip code to see the wildfire risk assessment. Data from USFS and NIFC.
Built with Astro and Cloudflare Pages as part of a series of free tools from government data.
Risk data from USFS Wildfire Risk to Potential Structures assessments. For official guidance, consult your local fire department and insurance provider.
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