Big Spring, MD
Big Spring, MD's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model puts Big Spring at the 48th national percentile for risk to structures, modestly above the national average for wildfire risk — a score built from 57 actual buildings. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
USFS's separate burn-probability score — fire likelihood alone, before counting what's built there — puts Big Spring at the 49th percentile, close to its 48th-percentile risk score.
Big Spring's building exposure, zone by zone
USFS classifies 82.5% of Big Spring's buildings as Direct exposure, higher than its 17.5% Indirect share and far above its 0% Minimal share — a profile where 47 structures sit close enough to vegetation that lot clearing matters most.
How Big Spring compares
Within Maryland, Big Spring ranks higher (67th percentile) than it does nationally (48th) — one of the more fire-exposed places in a state that, overall, scores lower than that. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Big Spring ranks 16,512 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 30,740 by building count (1 is largest). Within Maryland alone, it ranks 175 of 527 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Maryland on its state page.
Shopping for coverage in Big Spring
Big Spring's elevated rating (48th percentile nationally) sits outside the range where wildfire risk alone reshapes an insurance market — still, a homeowner here loses nothing by comparing rates.
Lowering exposure, not just insuring around it
Because Direct exposure dominates in Big Spring (82.5%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Big Spring's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 57 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Big Spring. The exposure-zones guide covers what Big Spring's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.