Bendon, MI
Bendon, MI's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
Bendon sits at the 28th percentile nationally for wildfire risk to structures — close to the middle of USFS's national wildfire-risk range — per USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model, built from its 187 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Bendon's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 29th percentile nationally.
Where Bendon's buildings actually sit
Direct exposure dominates in Bendon: 100% of its 187 buildings, versus 0% Indirect and 0% Minimal. Clearing space around a structure changes the outcome here more than any single building-material swap.
Bendon against the rest of the country
Within Michigan, Bendon ranks higher (80th percentile) than it does nationally (28th) — one of the more fire-exposed places in a state that, overall, scores lower than that. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Bendon ranks 22,627 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 25,350 by building count (1 is largest). Within Michigan alone, it ranks 151 of 745 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Michigan on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
Bendon's moderate rating (28th percentile nationally) sits outside the range where wildfire risk alone reshapes an insurance market — still, a homeowner here loses nothing by comparing rates.
What would actually reduce this score
With 100% of Bendon in Direct exposure, defensible-space clearing and ember-resistant construction (vents, Class-A roofing) address the exposure this page's own numbers describe, not a generic checklist. See the home-hardening guide.
Where Bendon's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 187 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Bendon. The exposure-zones guide covers what Bendon's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.