Burton, SC
Burton, SC's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
Out of every US place USFS scores, Burton lands at the 81st percentile for wildfire risk to structures — in USFS's highest wildfire-risk band nationally — a figure built from its 2,779 buildings, not the land around them. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks Burton at the 75th national percentile — 6 points below its risk-to-structures score, a gap driven by how much is actually built there.
Where Burton's buildings actually sit
90% of Burton's 2,779 buildings sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone, roughly 2,500 structures close enough to burnable vegetation for flame contact, not just embers — 8.1% fall in the Indirect, ember-only zone and 1.9% are Minimal.
Where Burton ranks
Burton scores 81st nationally and 87th within South Carolina — close enough that its state context doesn't change the picture the national number already gives. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Burton ranks 5,992 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 5,807 by building count (1 is largest). Within South Carolina alone, it ranks 61 of 474 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for South Carolina on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
Burton's very high rating (81st 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.
Hardening a home in Burton
Because Direct exposure dominates in Burton (90%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Burton's figures come from
Every one of the two percentiles behind Burton's 5,992-place national rank traces to USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities dataset — see the methodology guide. The exposure-zones guide covers what Burton's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.