Minnesota Fire and Flood Risk: How the State Compares
Statewide rankings provide useful context, but the risks surrounding an individual property tell a more important story.
#18
Flood risk ranking
#26
Fire risk ranking
1,381
Wildfires reported
4,754
Residential fires
Minnesota is known for its lakes, forests and four distinct seasons. Those features contribute to the state’s quality of life, but they also create different types of exposure to fire and flooding. The numbers show that Minnesota is neither among the country’s highest-risk states nor immune from property losses.
Under ClimateCheck’s modelling, Minnesota ranks 18th among the lower 48 states for flood risk and 26th for fire risk. ClimateCheck is a private climate-risk platform, and its rankings consider modeled frequency and severity in the past and through 2050. They are useful for broad comparison, but they are not an official government classification and cannot determine the risk facing a specific home.[1]
Minnesota’s wildfire picture
Wildfire conditions can vary sharply from one year to the next. According to the National Interagency Coordination Center’s 2025 annual report, reporting agencies recorded 1,381 wildfires and 51,414 acres burned in Minnesota during the calendar year. The report notes that several significant fires occurred during a period of heat and wind in May 2025.[2]
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources uses a different reporting period and jurisdiction. During fiscal year 2025, the DNR responded to 1,124 wildfires within its jurisdiction, covering 27,781 acres. Both figures were above the department’s 20-year averages of 910 fires and 20,207 acres.[3]
These figures are not contradictory. The national report covers the calendar year and combines reports from several agencies, while the DNR figure covers its fiscal year and fires within its own jurisdiction. Together, they show why wildfire statistics need a clearly stated source and time period.
For homeowners, statewide totals matter less than the setting around the property. Homes near forests, tall grass, fields or undeveloped land may have different considerations than homes in denser communities. Clearing combustible debris, maintaining defensible space where appropriate and reviewing rebuilding coverage are practical steps that can be considered without assuming that every Minnesota property faces the same risk.
Most residential fire risk begins closer to home
Wildfires often receive the most attention, but Minnesota fire departments reported 4,754 residential structure fires in 2024. Cooking was the leading known cause, accounting for 1,936 incidents, or 38% of the reported total.[4]
Smoke alarms were documented as present in 841 of those residential fire incidents. Among that group, 96% of the alarms operated correctly. The report also cautions that alarm information may not have been fully documented in every incident.[4]
The latest available U.S. Fire Administration comparison, based on 2023 incident data, also provides some reassuring context. Minnesota recorded 1.7 deaths per 1,000 reported fires, compared with a national average of 2.1. Its residential structure-fire death and injury rates were also below the corresponding national averages.[5]
Those comparisons should not create complacency. They simply show that ordinary prevention remains valuable: working smoke alarms, safe cooking practices, maintained heating systems and a household escape plan can help reduce risk before insurance is ever needed.
Flood risk is not limited to riverfront homes
Minnesota’s flood exposure includes river flooding, snowmelt, flash flooding, stormwater problems and water entering lower levels of a home. A property does not have to sit beside a river or lake to experience a costly water loss.
The Minnesota DNR reports that widespread rainfall events exceeding six inches have occurred about four times more frequently since 2000 than during the previous three decades. Rainfall events exceeding three inches have increased by 65% over the same general period. The agency also notes that significant flood damage can occur outside traditionally mapped high-risk areas.[6]
That point is reflected nationally as well. FEMA reports that from 2014 through 2024, 29% of National Flood Insurance Program claims came from areas outside current high-risk flood zones.[7]
Flood maps remain an important starting point, but they do not capture every source of water damage. Elevation, drainage, nearby waterways, soil conditions, municipal infrastructure, finished basements and the design of the property can all influence the practical risk.
The type of water damage matters
Insurance coverage depends on how the water entered the home. Depending on the circumstances and policy language, homeowners insurance may cover resulting damage from a sudden plumbing failure. It generally does not cover rising surface water or overflow from a body of water, which typically requires separate flood insurance.
Sewer, drain and sump-pump backup is another category. The Minnesota Department of Commerce explains that neither a typical homeowners policy nor flood insurance generally covers sewer backup or a sump pump’s inability to handle runoff. Homeowners usually need a separate product or endorsement for that exposure.[8]
These distinctions are a good reason to review coverage before a loss. Two homeowners can experience water in their basements after the same storm and have different coverage outcomes based on the source of the water and the endorsements included in their policies.
What Minnesota homeowners can review
A useful insurance review does not begin with the assumption that every homeowner needs more coverage. It begins by confirming what is already protected and identifying any decisions that deserve attention.
Review area / Questions to ask
Dwelling replacement cost
Is the limit based on the estimated cost to rebuild the home today, rather than its market value?
Ordinance or law
Would the policy help with added costs required to rebuild to current codes?
Additional living expense
How would temporary housing and other increased living costs be handled after a covered loss?
Flood insurance
Could surface water, snowmelt or overflowing waterways affect the property?
Water backup
Does the policy include sewer, drain and sump-pump backup coverage?
Property updates
Have renovations, a finished basement, detached buildings or major purchases changed the coverage needed?
A local review provides more value than a statewide ranking
State rankings can help Minnesotans understand the broader picture, but they cannot evaluate an individual home. A property’s construction, location, drainage, surrounding vegetation, rebuilding cost and current policy language are far more relevant to the decisions a homeowner may need to make.
Nesbit Agencies helps Minnesota homeowners review coverage for fire, flood, water backup and rebuilding costs. As an independent agency, Nesbit can help clients compare available options and understand how policy terms may respond to the risks surrounding their specific property.
The goal is not to create concern. It is to replace assumptions with clear information. Minnesota may fall near the middle of national fire and flood rankings, but knowing what your policy covers remains one of the simplest ways to be prepared.
Coverage note: Coverage, exclusions and eligibility vary by policy and insurance carrier. Review your policy documents and speak with a licensed insurance professional about your specific situation.
Research Sources
Statistics verified July 20, 2026. Links were active at the time of verification.
1. ClimateCheck, “Top Minnesota Climate Change Risks” and methodology – ClimateCheck
2. National Interagency Coordination Center, Wildland Fire Summary and Statistics Annual Report 2025 – NIFC
3. Minnesota DNR, Annual Report on Emergency Firefighting Expenditures, FY2025 – Minnesota DNR
4. Minnesota State Fire Marshal, Fire in Minnesota 2024 – Minnesota DPS
5. U.S. Fire Administration, Minnesota Fire Loss and Fire Department Profile – USFA
6. Minnesota DNR, Floodplain Management in Minnesota: Past, Present, and Future – Minnesota DNR
7. FEMA National Flood Insurance Program, “What Is My Flood Risk?” – FloodSmart
8. Minnesota Department of Commerce, Sewer Backup Policy – Minnesota Commerce
9. Nesbit Agencies, Home Insurance – Nesbit Agencies
