North Dakota wildfire risk
Rolette County has the highest wildfire risk in North Dakota, scoring 96.4 out of 100 — rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
NOAA events 2016–2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rolette County | 96.4 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 2 | Emmons County | 93.2 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 3 | McHenry County | 87.4 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 4 | Bottineau County | 85 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 5 | Burleigh County | 84.1 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 6 | Dunn County | 83.9 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 7 | Sioux County | 80.5 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 8 | Benson County | 80.1 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 9 | Ramsey County | 79.9 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 10 | Ward County | 79.4 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 11 | Walsh County | 79.2 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 12 | Mountrail County | 78.8 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 13 | McKenzie County | 77.4 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 14 | Williams County | 77.4 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 15 | McLean County | 77 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 16 | Morton County | 73.9 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 17 | McIntosh County | 70.8 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 18 | Nelson County | 67.8 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 19 | Stutsman County | 66.9 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 20 | Barnes County | 65.4 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 21 | Grant County | 65.4 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 22 | Billings County | 65.3 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 23 | Pembina County | 63.9 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 24 | Sheridan County | 63.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 25 | Eddy County | 63 | Very Low | 0 |
| 26 | Mercer County | 61.6 | Very Low | 0 |
| 27 | Ransom County | 59.8 | Very Low | 0 |
| 28 | Divide County | 59.1 | Very Low | 0 |
| 29 | Towner County | 56.8 | Very Low | 0 |
| 30 | Bowman County | 56.7 | Very Low | 0 |
| 31 | Pierce County | 56.5 | Very Low | 0 |
| 32 | Dickey County | 56 | Very Low | 0 |
| 33 | Hettinger County | 55.4 | Very Low | 0 |
| 34 | Grand Forks County | 55.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 35 | Logan County | 55.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 36 | Stark County | 54.8 | Very Low | 0 |
| 37 | Richland County | 54 | Very Low | 0 |
| 38 | Cavalier County | 52.8 | Very Low | 0 |
| 39 | Wells County | 51.4 | Very Low | 0 |
| 40 | Cass County | 50.5 | Very Low | 0 |
| 41 | Golden Valley County | 49.2 | Very Low | 0 |
| 42 | Griggs County | 49.1 | Very Low | 0 |
| 43 | Foster County | 48.4 | Very Low | 0 |
| 44 | Adams County | 48 | Very Low | 0 |
| 45 | Burke County | 46.9 | Very Low | 0 |
| 46 | Kidder County | 45.8 | Very Low | 0 |
| 47 | Oliver County | 44.5 | Very Low | 0 |
| 48 | Sargent County | 41.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 49 | LaMoure County | 38.1 | Very Low | 0 |
| 50 | Slope County | 38 | Very Low | 0 |
| 51 | Renville County | 37.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 52 | Traill County | 23.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 53 | Steele County | 17 | Very 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 North Dakota:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest wildfire risk county in North Dakota?
Rolette County, ND has the highest wildfire risk in North Dakota, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 96.4 out of 100 (rated "Relatively Moderate").
What causes wildfire risk in North Dakota?
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.