Choteau, MT
Choteau wildfire risk explained
USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model puts Choteau at the 55th national percentile for risk to structures, modestly above the national average for wildfire risk — a score built from 1,283 actual buildings. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks Choteau at the 56th national percentile — 0 points above its risk-to-structures score, a gap driven by how much is actually built there.
Choteau's building exposure, zone by zone
86.9% of Choteau's 1,283 buildings fall in USFS's Indirect exposure zone — ember cast rather than direct flame — against 13.1% Direct and 0% Minimal. Vent screens and roofing material matter more here than lot clearing alone.
Choteau against the rest of the country
Choteau ranks lower within Montana (19th percentile statewide) than its 55th national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Choteau ranks 14,093 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 10,179 by building count (1 is largest). Within Montana alone, it ranks 387 of 475 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Montana on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
At the 55th national percentile, Choteau rates elevated for wildfire risk — well short of the threshold where insurers have been withdrawing coverage, though comparing a quote costs nothing either way.
Lowering exposure, not just insuring around it
Choteau's 86.9% Indirect-exposure share points at embers, not flame contact, as the main pathway — ember-resistant vents and non-combustible roofing rank ahead of defensible space here. Detail in the home-hardening guide.
Where Choteau's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 1,283 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Choteau. The exposure-zones guide covers what Choteau's dominant indirect exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.