Benkelman, NE
Benkelman, NE's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
Benkelman's 848 buildings earn a 66th-percentile wildfire-risk score nationally under USFS's model — well above the national norm for wildfire risk. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks Benkelman at the 64th national percentile — 2 points below its risk-to-structures score, a gap driven by how much is actually built there.
Benkelman's building exposure, zone by zone
USFS puts 93.5% of Benkelman's 848 buildings in the Indirect exposure zone, versus 6.5% Direct and 0% Minimal — a place where the fire doesn't need to reach the structure directly for embers to.
Where Benkelman ranks
Benkelman scores 66th nationally and 61st within Nebraska — close enough that its state context doesn't change the picture the national number already gives. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Benkelman ranks 10,685 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 13,180 by building count (1 is largest). Within Nebraska alone, it ranks 228 of 583 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Nebraska on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
Benkelman's high rating (66th 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 Benkelman (93.5% Indirect), vent screens and roofing material tend to matter more than lot clearing alone. The home-hardening guide covers both.
Where Benkelman's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 848 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Benkelman. The exposure-zones guide covers what Benkelman's dominant indirect exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.