Out of 17 counties with wildfire data, these are the counties with the highest smoke exposure risk.
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Counties ranked | 17 |
| Avg smoke risk (top 100) | 33/100 |
| Total county fires 5yr (top 100) | 1,246 |
Top 17 Counties
| Rank | County | State | Smoke Risk | County Fires (5yr) | ZIP Codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washoe | Nevada | 52/100 | 160 | 38 |
| 2 | Clark | Nevada | 51/100 | 125 | 125 |
| 3 | Douglas | Nevada | 47/100 | 160 | 11 |
| 4 | Elko | Nevada | 45/100 | 153 | 17 |
| 5 | Carson | Nevada | 44/100 | 7 | 9 |
| 6 | Humboldt | Nevada | 39/100 | 182 | 8 |
| 7 | Storey | Nevada | 39/100 | 12 | 3 |
| 8 | Lyon | Nevada | 36/100 | 160 | 6 |
| 9 | Pershing | Nevada | 28/100 | 67 | 2 |
| 10 | Lander | Nevada | 28/100 | 44 | 3 |
| 11 | Lincoln | Nevada | 27/100 | 34 | 5 |
| 12 | White Pine | Nevada | 25/100 | 49 | 7 |
| 13 | Nye | Nevada | 24/100 | 43 | 10 |
| 14 | Mineral | Nevada | 21/100 | 8 | 3 |
| 15 | Churchill | Nevada | 18/100 | 10 | 3 |
| 16 | Eureka | Nevada | 17/100 | 29 | 1 |
| 17 | Esmeralda | Nevada | 14/100 | 3 | 3 |
Methodology
County rankings for Nevada 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.