Central Pacolet, SC
Central Pacolet, SC's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
Out of every US place USFS scores, Central Pacolet lands at the 61st percentile for wildfire risk to structures — well above the national norm for wildfire risk — a figure built from its 173 buildings, not the land around them. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
USFS's separate burn-probability score — fire likelihood alone, before counting what's built there — puts Central Pacolet at the 64th percentile, close to its 61st-percentile risk score.
Where Central Pacolet's buildings actually sit
72.8% of Central Pacolet's 173 buildings sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone, roughly 126 structures close enough to burnable vegetation for flame contact, not just embers — 27.2% fall in the Indirect, ember-only zone and 0% are Minimal.
Where Central Pacolet ranks
Central Pacolet ranks lower within South Carolina (21st percentile statewide) than its 61st national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Central Pacolet ranks 12,364 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 25,916 by building count (1 is largest). Within South Carolina alone, it ranks 375 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 61st percentile nationally, Central Pacolet 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.
Hardening a home in Central Pacolet
Central Pacolet's 72.8% Direct-exposure share means lot clearing around the structure typically outweighs any single material upgrade here. The home-hardening guide ranks the options for a place shaped like this.
Where Central Pacolet's figures come from
Central Pacolet's 61st-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 Central Pacolet's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.