Out of 23 counties with wildfire data, these are the counties with the highest smoke exposure risk.
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Counties ranked | 23 |
| Avg smoke risk (top 100) | 17/100 |
| Total county fires 5yr (top 100) | 77 |
Top 23 Counties
| Rank | County | State | Smoke Risk | County Fires (5yr) | ZIP Codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dorchester | Maryland | 34/100 | 8 | 13 |
| 2 | Somerset | Maryland | 27/100 | 1 | 14 |
| 3 | Wicomico | Maryland | 21/100 | 8 | 20 |
| 4 | Talbot | Maryland | 19/100 | 0 | 12 |
| 5 | Carroll | Maryland | 18/100 | 6 | 34 |
| 6 | Baltimore | Maryland | 18/100 | 1 | 73 |
| 7 | Worcester | Maryland | 18/100 | 1 | 12 |
| 8 | Howard | Maryland | 18/100 | 0 | 9 |
| 9 | Cecil | Maryland | 17/100 | 1 | 26 |
| 10 | Anne Arundel | Maryland | 16/100 | 4 | 80 |
| 11 | Washington | Maryland | 15/100 | 10 | 20 |
| 12 | Calvert | Maryland | 15/100 | 8 | 26 |
| 13 | Montgomery | Maryland | 15/100 | 4 | 65 |
| 14 | St. Mary's | Maryland | 15/100 | 0 | 26 |
| 15 | Caroline | Maryland | 15/100 | 0 | 14 |
| 16 | Frederick | Maryland | 14/100 | 10 | 35 |
| 17 | Harford | Maryland | 14/100 | 1 | 15 |
| 18 | Allegany | Maryland | 13/100 | 10 | 24 |
| 19 | Prince George's | Maryland | 13/100 | 4 | 46 |
| 20 | Queen Anne's | Maryland | 13/100 | 0 | 15 |
| 21 | Kent | Maryland | 13/100 | 0 | 9 |
| 22 | Garrett | Maryland | 12/100 | 0 | 8 |
| 23 | Charles | Maryland | 11/100 | 0 | 19 |
Methodology
County rankings for Maryland based on average smoke risk score and fire frequency.
Data sources: National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), EPA AirNow. Last updated: 2026-06-04.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is wildfire smoke risk calculated?
Smoke risk scores (0-100) combine multiple factors: proximity to recent wildfires, county fire frequency over the past 5 years, historical smoke days, and geographic position relative to typical fire corridors. Higher scores indicate greater smoke exposure risk during fire season.
How can I protect myself from wildfire smoke?
Use a HEPA air purifier indoors, wear N95 or KN95 masks outdoors during smoke events, seal windows and doors, and monitor AirNow.gov for real-time air quality. Create a clean room in your home with the purifier running and windows sealed.