Alto, TX
Alto, TX's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model puts Alto at the 78th national percentile for risk to structures, well above the national norm for wildfire risk — a score built from 772 actual buildings. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks Alto at the 80th national percentile — 2 points above its risk-to-structures score, a gap driven by how much is actually built there.
What "at risk" means for the buildings here
Most of Alto's buildings (58.3%) sit in the Indirect zone, where wind-blown embers rather than flame front are the mechanism USFS is scoring — ember-resistant vents and non-combustible roofing are the interventions this pattern favors, more than defensible space alone.
Where Alto ranks
Alto ranks lower within Texas (54th percentile statewide) than its 78th national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Alto ranks 7,097 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 13,904 by building count (1 is largest). Within Texas alone, it ranks 822 of 1,795 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Texas on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
Alto's high rating (78th percentile) puts it among the places where the national carrier-pullback trend is most relevant — not a guarantee of a coverage problem, but a reason to shop rather than assume.
Lowering exposure, not just insuring around it
With ember exposure the dominant pattern in Alto (58.3% Indirect), vent screens and roofing material tend to matter more than lot clearing alone. The home-hardening guide covers both.
Where Alto's figures come from
Alto's 78th-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 Alto's dominant indirect exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.