South Carolina wildfire risk
Charleston County has the highest wildfire risk in South Carolina, scoring 93.9 out of 100 — rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
NOAA events 2016–2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charleston County | 93.9 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 2 | Georgetown County | 91.3 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 3 | Beaufort County | 90.3 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 4 | Horry County | 89.9 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 5 | Berkeley County | 89.8 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 6 | Williamsburg County | 87.2 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 7 | Florence County | 86.5 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 8 | Colleton County | 82.8 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 9 | Aiken County | 82.2 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 10 | Dillon County | 81.3 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 11 | Clarendon County | 81.2 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 12 | Orangeburg County | 79.9 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 13 | Dorchester County | 79 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 14 | Sumter County | 79 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 15 | Chesterfield County | 76.7 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 16 | Jasper County | 76.7 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 17 | Lexington County | 75.3 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 18 | Darlington County | 74 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 19 | Marlboro County | 73.7 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 20 | Hampton County | 71.4 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 21 | Kershaw County | 69.7 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 22 | Richland County | 69.7 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 23 | Marion County | 68.5 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 24 | York County | 63.7 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 25 | Oconee County | 63.4 | Very Low | 0 |
| 26 | Barnwell County | 59.9 | Very Low | 0 |
| 27 | Spartanburg County | 59.4 | Very Low | 0 |
| 28 | Edgefield County | 57.9 | Very Low | 0 |
| 29 | Lee County | 57.4 | Very Low | 0 |
| 30 | Bamberg County | 55.9 | Very Low | 0 |
| 31 | Greenville County | 55.1 | Very Low | 0 |
| 32 | Greenwood County | 54.4 | Very Low | 0 |
| 33 | Newberry County | 53.9 | Very Low | 0 |
| 34 | Union County | 53.5 | Very Low | 0 |
| 35 | Saluda County | 52.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 36 | Calhoun County | 51.8 | Very Low | 0 |
| 37 | Pickens County | 50.9 | Very Low | 0 |
| 38 | Allendale County | 50.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 39 | Laurens County | 49.1 | Very Low | 0 |
| 40 | Anderson County | 47.4 | Very Low | 0 |
| 41 | Fairfield County | 45.9 | Very Low | 0 |
| 42 | Chester County | 45.5 | Very Low | 0 |
| 43 | Lancaster County | 45.1 | Very Low | 0 |
| 44 | Abbeville County | 39.8 | Very Low | 0 |
| 45 | Cherokee County | 37.5 | Very Low | 0 |
| 46 | McCormick County | 34.8 | 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 South Carolina:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest wildfire risk county in South Carolina?
Charleston County, SC has the highest wildfire risk in South Carolina, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 93.9 out of 100 (rated "Relatively Moderate").
What causes wildfire risk in South Carolina?
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.