Bussey, IA
Bussey, IA's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
Out of every US place USFS scores, Bussey lands at the 63rd percentile for wildfire risk to structures — well above the national norm for wildfire risk — a figure built from its 293 buildings, not the land around them. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks Bussey at the 65th national percentile — 2 points above its risk-to-structures score, a gap driven by how much is actually built there.
Where Bussey's buildings actually sit
Indirect exposure is dominant in Bussey (82.6% of 293 buildings): far enough from burnable vegetation to avoid flame contact, close enough for wind-blown embers. Only 17.4% sit in the Direct zone.
Bussey against the rest of the country
Bussey's 87th-percentile standing inside Iowa outpaces its 63rd 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, Bussey ranks 11,594 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 21,814 by building count (1 is largest). Within Iowa alone, it ranks 138 of 1,017 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Iowa on its state page.
Bussey and the insurance market
Bussey's high rating (63rd 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 Bussey
With ember exposure the dominant pattern in Bussey (82.6% Indirect), vent screens and roofing material tend to matter more than lot clearing alone. The home-hardening guide covers both.
Where Bussey's figures come from
Bussey's 63rd-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 Bussey's dominant indirect exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.