Clark, SD
Clark, SD's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
USFS scores Clark at the 55th national percentile for wildfire risk to structures (modestly above the national average for wildfire risk), a figure built from 879 real buildings rather than raw vegetation cover. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks Clark at the 53rd national percentile — 2 points below its risk-to-structures score, a gap driven by how much is actually built there.
Where Clark's buildings actually sit
879 buildings are counted in Clark, and 47.3% of them sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone — flame contact, not just ember cast, is the live possibility for most of them, against 28.6% rated Minimal.
Where Clark ranks
Clark ranks lower within South Dakota (38th 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, Clark ranks 14,071 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 12,922 by building count (1 is largest). Within South Dakota alone, it ranks 273 of 439 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for South Dakota on its state page.
Shopping for coverage in Clark
Clark's elevated rating (55th percentile nationally) sits outside the range where wildfire risk alone reshapes an insurance market — still, a homeowner here loses nothing by comparing rates.
Lowering exposure, not just insuring around it
Clark's 47.3% Direct-exposure share means lot clearing around the structure typically outweighs any single material upgrade here. The home-hardening guide ranks the options for a place shaped like this.
More on how this number was built
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 879 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Clark. For more on what direct exposure implies beyond Clark, see the exposure-zones guide.