Belford, NJ
How exposed is Belford to wildfire?
USFS scores Belford at the 68th national percentile for wildfire risk to structures (well above the national norm for wildfire risk), a figure built from 685 real buildings rather than raw vegetation cover. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Belford's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 65th percentile nationally.
Where Belford's buildings actually sit
Belford rates 83.2% Minimal exposure against just 16.8% Direct and 0% Indirect — of 685 buildings counted, few sit close enough to burnable vegetation for USFS to flag them individually.
Belford against the rest of the country
Belford scores 68th nationally and 78th within New Jersey — close enough that its state context doesn't change the picture the national number already gives. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Belford ranks 10,153 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 14,815 by building count (1 is largest). Within New Jersey alone, it ranks 155 of 700 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for New Jersey on its state page.
Shopping for coverage in Belford
At the 68th percentile nationally, Belford carries the high rating that has pushed some carriers to limit new business in similarly-scored places elsewhere in the country. Worth comparing quotes rather than assuming last year's renewal terms still apply.
Hardening a home in Belford
Even with 83.2% of Belford outside USFS's Direct and Indirect zones, basic hardening — gutter maintenance, ember-resistant vents — is inexpensive relative to the regional burn-probability risk noted above. Details in the home-hardening guide.
Where Belford's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 685 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Belford. The exposure-zones guide covers what Belford's dominant minimal exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.