Alligator, MS
How exposed is Alligator to wildfire?
Alligator's 119 buildings earn a 42nd-percentile wildfire-risk score nationally under USFS's model — modestly above the national average for wildfire risk. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks Alligator at the 39th national percentile — 3 points below its risk-to-structures score, a gap driven by how much is actually built there.
Where Alligator's buildings actually sit
Indirect exposure is dominant in Alligator (63% of 119 buildings): far enough from burnable vegetation to avoid flame contact, close enough for wind-blown embers. Only 37% sit in the Direct zone.
Alligator against the rest of the country
Alligator ranks lower within Mississippi (15th percentile statewide) than its 42nd national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Alligator ranks 18,246 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 28,201 by building count (1 is largest). Within Mississippi alone, it ranks 356 of 420 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Mississippi on its state page.
Shopping for coverage in Alligator
At the 42nd national percentile, Alligator rates elevated for wildfire risk — well short of the threshold where insurers have been withdrawing coverage, though comparing a quote costs nothing either way.
What would actually reduce this score
With ember exposure the dominant pattern in Alligator (63% Indirect), vent screens and roofing material tend to matter more than lot clearing alone. The home-hardening guide covers both.
Where Alligator's figures come from
Alligator's 42nd-percentile score and its burn-probability figure both come from the same USFS workbook, documented in the methodology guide. The exposure-zones guide covers what Alligator's dominant indirect exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.