Castalia, NC
Castalia, NC's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
USFS scores Castalia at the 46th national percentile for wildfire risk to structures (modestly above the national average for wildfire risk), a figure built from 223 real buildings rather than raw vegetation cover. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Castalia's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 47th percentile nationally.
What "at risk" means for the buildings here
67.3% of Castalia's 223 buildings sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone, roughly 150 structures close enough to burnable vegetation for flame contact, not just embers — 32.7% fall in the Indirect, ember-only zone and 0% are Minimal.
Castalia against the rest of the country
Castalia's 46th national percentile looks worse in isolation than its 27th ranking inside North Carolina does — this place is on the milder end for its own state, by 18 points. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Castalia ranks 17,150 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 24,019 by building count (1 is largest). Within North Carolina alone, it ranks 561 of 772 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for North Carolina on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
Castalia's elevated wildfire rating (46th percentile) isn't the kind of score driving the carrier pullback making news in the highest-risk Western markets — but a standard homeowners quote is still worth comparing on its own terms.
Lowering exposure, not just insuring around it
Because Direct exposure dominates in Castalia (67.3%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Castalia's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 223 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Castalia. The exposure-zones guide covers what Castalia's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.