Bethlehem, WV
Bethlehem, WV's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
USFS scores Bethlehem at the 33rd national percentile for wildfire risk to structures (close to the middle of USFS's national wildfire-risk range), a figure built from 1,244 real buildings rather than raw vegetation cover. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
USFS's separate burn-probability score — fire likelihood alone, before counting what's built there — puts Bethlehem at the 33rd percentile, close to its 33rd-percentile risk score.
Where Bethlehem's buildings actually sit
USFS classifies 72.2% of Bethlehem's buildings as Direct exposure, higher than its 27.8% Indirect share and far above its 0% Minimal share — a profile where 898 structures sit close enough to vegetation that lot clearing matters most.
How Bethlehem compares
Bethlehem ranks lower within West Virginia (3rd percentile statewide) than its 33rd national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Bethlehem ranks 21,070 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 10,377 by building count (1 is largest). Within West Virginia alone, it ranks 416 of 429 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for West Virginia on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
At the 33rd national percentile, Bethlehem rates moderate for wildfire risk — well short of the threshold where insurers have been withdrawing coverage, though comparing a quote costs nothing either way.
Lowering exposure, not just insuring around it
Because Direct exposure dominates in Bethlehem (72.2%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
More on how this number was built
Bethlehem's 33rd-percentile score and its burn-probability figure both come from the same USFS workbook, documented in the methodology guide. For more on what direct exposure implies beyond Bethlehem, see the exposure-zones guide.