Out of 14 counties with wildfire data, these are the counties with the highest smoke exposure risk.
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Counties ranked | 14 |
| Avg smoke risk (top 100) | 8/100 |
| Total county fires 5yr (top 100) | 20 |
Top 14 Counties
| Rank | County | State | Smoke Risk | County Fires (5yr) | ZIP Codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orange | Vermont | 11/100 | 4 | 29 |
| 2 | Caledonia | Vermont | 11/100 | 0 | 21 |
| 3 | Essex | Vermont | 11/100 | 0 | 14 |
| 4 | Washington | Vermont | 10/100 | 0 | 30 |
| 5 | Windsor | Vermont | 8/100 | 4 | 37 |
| 6 | Windham | Vermont | 8/100 | 4 | 32 |
| 7 | Rutland | Vermont | 8/100 | 3 | 28 |
| 8 | Orleans | Vermont | 8/100 | 0 | 20 |
| 9 | Bennington | Vermont | 7/100 | 3 | 17 |
| 10 | Chittenden | Vermont | 6/100 | 1 | 28 |
| 11 | Addison | Vermont | 6/100 | 1 | 15 |
| 12 | Franklin | Vermont | 6/100 | 0 | 19 |
| 13 | Lamoille | Vermont | 6/100 | 0 | 13 |
| 14 | Grand Isle | Vermont | 5/100 | 0 | 5 |
Methodology
County rankings for Vermont 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.