Charles City, VA
Charles City, VA's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
Charles City sits at the 47th percentile nationally for wildfire risk to structures — modestly above the national average for wildfire risk — per USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model, built from its 140 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Charles City's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 47th percentile nationally.
Charles City's building exposure, zone by zone
Direct exposure dominates in Charles City: 90.7% of its 140 buildings, versus 9.3% Indirect and 0% Minimal. Clearing space around a structure changes the outcome here more than any single building-material swap.
Charles City against the rest of the country
Charles City scores 47th nationally and 48th within Virginia — close enough that its state context doesn't change the picture the national number already gives. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Charles City ranks 16,687 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 27,310 by building count (1 is largest). Within Virginia alone, it ranks 357 of 681 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Virginia on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
At the 47th national percentile, Charles City rates elevated for wildfire risk — well short of the threshold where insurers have been withdrawing coverage, though comparing a quote costs nothing either way.
What would actually reduce this score
With 90.7% of Charles City in Direct exposure, defensible-space clearing and ember-resistant construction (vents, Class-A roofing) address the exposure this page's own numbers describe, not a generic checklist. See the home-hardening guide.
More on how this number was built
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 140 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Charles City. For more on what direct exposure implies beyond Charles City, see the exposure-zones guide.