Chesnee, SC
Chesnee, SC's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
Chesnee's 551 buildings earn a 61st-percentile wildfire-risk score nationally under USFS's model — well above the national norm for wildfire risk. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
USFS's separate burn-probability score — fire likelihood alone, before counting what's built there — puts Chesnee at the 64th percentile, close to its 61st-percentile risk score.
What "at risk" means for the buildings here
Indirect exposure is dominant in Chesnee (55.9% of 551 buildings): far enough from burnable vegetation to avoid flame contact, close enough for wind-blown embers. Only 44.1% sit in the Direct zone.
How Chesnee compares
Chesnee 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, Chesnee ranks 12,365 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 16,563 by building count (1 is largest). Within South Carolina alone, it ranks 376 of 474 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for South Carolina on its state page.
Shopping for coverage in Chesnee
At the 61st percentile nationally, Chesnee 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 Chesnee
With ember exposure the dominant pattern in Chesnee (55.9% Indirect), vent screens and roofing material tend to matter more than lot clearing alone. The home-hardening guide covers both.
Where Chesnee's figures come from
Every one of the two percentiles behind Chesnee's 12,365-place national rank traces to USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities dataset — see the methodology guide. The exposure-zones guide covers what Chesnee's dominant indirect exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.