Clifton, ID
Clifton wildfire risk explained
Clifton's 241 buildings earn a 95th-percentile wildfire-risk score nationally under USFS's model — in USFS's highest wildfire-risk band nationally. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Clifton's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 95th percentile nationally.
Where Clifton's buildings actually sit
53.9% of Clifton's 241 buildings sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone, roughly 130 structures close enough to burnable vegetation for flame contact, not just embers — 46.1% fall in the Indirect, ember-only zone and 0% are Minimal.
Where Clifton ranks
Clifton ranks lower within Idaho (78th percentile statewide) than its 95th national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Clifton ranks 1,672 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 23,419 by building count (1 is largest). Within Idaho alone, it ranks 52 of 232 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Idaho on its state page.
Shopping for coverage in Clifton
Clifton's 95th-percentile, very high rating is the kind of score behind a broader national pattern: insurers pulling back from the highest wildfire-risk markets, non-renewing or declining new policies outright, most visibly in California. Shopping around, not assuming automatic renewal, tends to matter here.
What would actually reduce this score
Because Direct exposure dominates in Clifton (53.9%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Clifton's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 241 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Clifton. The exposure-zones guide covers what Clifton's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.