Charlotte, TN
Charlotte wildfire risk explained
USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model puts Charlotte at the 47th national percentile for risk to structures, modestly above the national average for wildfire risk — a score built from 798 actual buildings. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Charlotte's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 50th percentile nationally.
Charlotte's building exposure, zone by zone
89.2% of Charlotte's 798 buildings sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone, roughly 712 structures close enough to burnable vegetation for flame contact, not just embers — 10.8% fall in the Indirect, ember-only zone and 0% are Minimal.
How Charlotte compares
Charlotte scores 47th nationally and 38th within Tennessee — close enough that its state context doesn't change the picture the national number already gives. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Charlotte ranks 16,591 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 13,655 by building count (1 is largest). Within Tennessee alone, it ranks 312 of 502 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Tennessee on its state page.
Shopping for coverage in Charlotte
At the 47th national percentile, Charlotte 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
Because Direct exposure dominates in Charlotte (89.2%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Charlotte's figures come from
Every one of the two percentiles behind Charlotte's 16,591-place national rank traces to USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities dataset — see the methodology guide. The exposure-zones guide covers what Charlotte's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.