Burnside, PA
Burnside, PA's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
Out of every US place USFS scores, Burnside lands at the 47th percentile for wildfire risk to structures — modestly above the national average for wildfire risk — a figure built from its 178 buildings, not the land around them. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Burnside's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 47th percentile nationally.
Where Burnside's buildings actually sit
USFS classifies 56.2% of Burnside's buildings as Direct exposure, higher than its 43.8% Indirect share and far above its 0% Minimal share — a profile where 100 structures sit close enough to vegetation that lot clearing matters most.
How Burnside compares
Burnside's 76th-percentile standing inside Pennsylvania outpaces its 47th national percentile — this is a hotter spot than most of its own state, even though the state as a whole runs cooler nationally. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Burnside ranks 16,773 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 25,726 by building count (1 is largest). Within Pennsylvania alone, it ranks 486 of 1,991 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Pennsylvania on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
Burnside's elevated rating (47th 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
Because Direct exposure dominates in Burnside (56.2%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Burnside's figures come from
Burnside's 47th-percentile score and its burn-probability figure both come from the same USFS workbook, documented in the methodology guide. The exposure-zones guide covers what Burnside's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.