Wildfire risk · Kentucky
Wildfire risk in Kentucky
Wildfire risk (USDA Forest Service) data for ZIP codes in Kentucky. Pick a ZIP below to dive into the wildfire risk summary.
Last verified 2026-05-13 · methodology
What lands here
Pages translate the numeric hazard score into plain English, show the exposure type (direct flame contact vs. ember), and link to at-home mitigation resources.
Source & refresh
USDA Forest Service. Refreshed annual (usfs update). Primary source →
Kentucky top concern
Mining-affected water, flood (Ohio + tributaries)
Kentucky's Appalachian eastern counties face mining-affected water systems with elevated EPA SDWIS compliance risk. Ohio River + tributary FEMA AE zones expose Louisville, Owensboro, and Newport. Radon risk varies by karst geology.
See Kentucky state page for the full state-level rollup across all 12 dimensions.
Read more on wildfire risk
Editorial deep-dives explaining the source data, its limits, and how to read it.
Flood zones explained — what AE, X, and VE actually mean
Plain-English guide to FEMA flood-zone codes (A, AE, AH, V, VE, X, X-shaded). What the 1% and 0.2% annual-chance zones mean for your property and your insurance.
AQI explained — what 50, 100, 150 actually mean for your lungs
Plain-English guide to the EPA Air Quality Index (AQI) and the 6 categories from Good to Hazardous. When to take precautions and which pollutants matter.
Wildfire Hazard Potential — what the USFS scale means and how to defend your home
Plain-English guide to the USDA Forest Service's Wildfire Hazard Potential 1–5 scale, how to read your community's risk, and concrete home-defense measures.
AirNow + wildfire smoke — when AQI is a real-time tool
How EPA AirNow handles real-time wildfire smoke, what the colors mean during fire season, and where AirNow leaves gaps you should know about.