Calhoun Falls, SC
Calhoun Falls wildfire risk explained
Calhoun Falls sits at the 68th percentile nationally for wildfire risk to structures — well above the national norm for wildfire risk — per USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model, built from its 1,167 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
USFS's separate burn-probability score — fire likelihood alone, before counting what's built there — puts Calhoun Falls at the 70th percentile, close to its 68th-percentile risk score.
What "at risk" means for the buildings here
1,167 buildings are counted in Calhoun Falls, and 54.5% of them are Indirect exposure — ember-driven risk rather than the 45.5% in Direct exposure or the 0% rated Minimal.
Where Calhoun Falls ranks
Calhoun Falls ranks lower within South Carolina (48th percentile statewide) than its 68th national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Calhoun Falls ranks 10,157 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 10,856 by building count (1 is largest). Within South Carolina alone, it ranks 247 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
At the 68th percentile nationally, Calhoun Falls carries the high rating that has pushed some carriers to limit new business in similarly-scored places elsewhere in the country. Worth comparing quotes rather than assuming last year's renewal terms still apply.
What would actually reduce this score
With ember exposure the dominant pattern in Calhoun Falls (54.5% Indirect), vent screens and roofing material tend to matter more than lot clearing alone. The home-hardening guide covers both.
Where Calhoun Falls's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 1,167 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Calhoun Falls. The exposure-zones guide covers what Calhoun Falls's dominant indirect exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.