Washington wildfire risk
Washington carries meaningful wildfire hazard without the acute insurance-availability crisis of the western states. This page covers current fire activity, how the state ranks nationally, and where hazard actually concentrates.
Active fires in Washington
Washington's recorded fire history
Federal perimeter records list 874 mapped wildfires in Washington since 2000. The largest on that record is the Carlton Fire of 2014, which burned 230,102 acres.
| Fire | Year | Area burned |
|---|---|---|
| Carlton Fire | 2014 | 230,102 acres |
| North Star Fire | 2015 | 215,401 acres |
| Range 12 Fire | 2016 | 176,834 acres |
| Tripod Fire | 2006 | 174,857 acres |
Recorded history feeds directly into your address score: our model counts mapped burns within 25 miles of a parcel, weighted toward large ones. It is worth knowing the limitation, though — a long record of successful suppression can leave an area reading quiet while fuel accumulates, which is precisely the condition that produces the next large fire.
Where hazard concentrates in Washington
Wildfire hazard is not spread evenly across a state. These are the 5 counties in Washington with the highest wildfire risk scores in FEMA's National Risk Index, with the building value each has sitting in exposed areas.
| County | Hazard score | Building exposure |
|---|---|---|
| Kittitas County | 99.7 | $4.5B |
| Chelan County | 99.6 | $4.4B |
| Okanogan County | 99.3 | $3.2B |
| Yakima County | 98.9 | $5.7B |
| Klickitat County | 98.4 | $2.0B |
Kittitas County carries the highest score in the state at 99.7. If your address is there, or in any of the counties above, the statewide average understates your situation considerably — which is the reason to check the parcel rather than the state.
How Washington ranks nationally
FEMA's National Risk Index scores every US county for expected annual wildfire loss. Across Washington's 39 assessed counties the average wildfire hazard score is 71.5, which places the state 16th of the 50 states. The most exposed county in Washington scores 99.7.
Against a 50-state average of 52.7, Washington sits 18.8 points above it. Rank 16 of 50. The National Risk Index blends how often wildfire is expected with how much is standing in the way, so a state can post a moderate score with severe local hazard wherever development has pushed into the wildland-urban interface.
Roughly $215.7B of building value sits inside Washington's wildfire-exposed areas. That figure is what drives carrier behaviour: insurers manage concentration of exposure, so a state can have modest average hazard and still see availability problems wherever that value clusters in the wildland-urban interface.
Washington wildfire season
Washington's fire season typically runs from late spring through to the first autumn precipitation, peaking in July and August. Snowpack and spring moisture set the tone for the year — a dry winter usually means an early and long season.
Insurance in Washington
Washington operates a FAIR Plan or equivalent residual market, which matters because average county hazard here is high enough that admitted carriers do decline individual parcels. Residual market policies are typically restricted in what they cover, so check whether you need a separate policy alongside it for liability and theft.
Residual-market availability and the rules governing it change. Confirm the current position with the Washington Department of Insurance before you rely on it.
Whatever the market looks like in your area, the sequence is the same: document mitigation before your renewal date, work with an independent broker who can access surplus lines, and ask directly whether the carrier credits wildfire mitigation. The full fire insurance guide covers non-renewal, FAIR Plans and difference-in-conditions wraps in detail.
Lowering your risk in Washington
The two changes with the best return anywhere in the country are clearing the first five feet around the structure to non-combustible material, and screening vents against ember entry. Both are cheap, both address the mechanism that destroys most homes, and both are visible to an underwriter if you photograph and invoice them. What qualifies and how to document it.