Chelyan, WV
Chelyan, WV's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
USFS scores Chelyan at the 90th national percentile for wildfire risk to structures (in USFS's highest wildfire-risk band nationally), a figure built from 472 real buildings rather than raw vegetation cover. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Chelyan's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 92nd percentile nationally.
What "at risk" means for the buildings here
Indirect exposure is dominant in Chelyan (98.7% of 472 buildings): far enough from burnable vegetation to avoid flame contact, close enough for wind-blown embers. Only 1.3% sit in the Direct zone.
Chelyan against the rest of the country
Chelyan scores 90th nationally and 81st within West 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, Chelyan ranks 3,167 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 17,845 by building count (1 is largest). Within West Virginia alone, it ranks 82 of 429 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for West Virginia on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
Chelyan's very high rating (90th percentile) puts it among the places where the national carrier-pullback trend is most relevant — not a guarantee of a coverage problem, but a reason to shop rather than assume.
What would actually reduce this score
With ember exposure the dominant pattern in Chelyan (98.7% Indirect), vent screens and roofing material tend to matter more than lot clearing alone. The home-hardening guide covers both.
Where Chelyan's figures come from
Chelyan's 90th-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 Chelyan's dominant indirect exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.