New Mexico wildfire risk
Lincoln County has the highest wildfire risk in New Mexico, scoring 98.8 out of 100 — rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
NOAA events 2016–2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lincoln County | 98.8 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 2 | Roosevelt County | 98.6 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 3 | Otero County | 98.2 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 4 | Santa Fe County | 98.2 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 5 | Lea County | 98 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 6 | Colfax County | 97.5 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 7 | San Miguel County | 97.3 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 8 | Grant County | 96.9 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 9 | Catron County | 96.3 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 10 | Rio Arriba County | 96.2 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 11 | Taos County | 96.2 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 12 | Mora County | 95.9 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 13 | Curry County | 95.7 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 14 | Bernalillo County | 95 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 15 | Sandoval County | 93.6 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 16 | Chaves County | 92.5 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 17 | Torrance County | 91.4 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 18 | Union County | 88.8 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 19 | Eddy County | 88.5 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 20 | Valencia County | 87.4 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 21 | Socorro County | 87 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 22 | Doña Ana County | 86.6 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 23 | Quay County | 85.7 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 24 | Los Alamos County | 83.4 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 25 | Cibola County | 83.1 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 26 | Sierra County | 83.1 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 27 | Hidalgo County | 83 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 28 | Luna County | 82.1 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 29 | San Juan County | 81.6 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 30 | Guadalupe County | 81.5 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 31 | McKinley County | 78.7 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 32 | De Baca County | 77.4 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 33 | Harding County | 67.9 | Relatively Low | 0 |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20.0, December 2025. Scores are 0–100 percentile rankings among all US counties. See the methodology page for definitions. Download the full CSV for all counties.
Wildfire risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in New Mexico:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest wildfire risk county in New Mexico?
Lincoln County, NM has the highest wildfire risk in New Mexico, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 98.8 out of 100 (rated "Relatively High").
What causes wildfire risk in New Mexico?
Wildfire risk reflects expected annual losses to buildings, population, and agriculture from wildfire, adjusted for social vulnerability and community resilience. High scores cluster in the western US, where dry climate, fuel loads, and seasonal wind patterns combine with rapid suburban development into fire-prone terrain.