Clifton, TN
Clifton wildfire risk explained
USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model puts Clifton at the 57th national percentile for risk to structures, modestly above the national average for wildfire risk — a score built from 696 actual buildings. (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 61st percentile nationally.
What "at risk" means for the buildings here
USFS classifies 55.5% of Clifton's buildings as Direct exposure, higher than its 43.1% Indirect share and far above its 1.4% Minimal share — a profile where 386 structures sit close enough to vegetation that lot clearing matters most.
Clifton against the rest of the country
Clifton scores 57th nationally and 52nd within Tennessee — close enough that its state context doesn't change the picture the national number already gives. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Clifton ranks 13,408 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 14,709 by building count (1 is largest). Within Tennessee alone, it ranks 243 of 502 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Tennessee on its state page.
Clifton and the insurance market
At the 57th national percentile, Clifton rates elevated for wildfire risk — well short of the threshold where insurers have been withdrawing coverage, though comparing a quote costs nothing either way.
Hardening a home in Clifton
With 55.5% of Clifton in Direct exposure, defensible-space clearing and ember-resistant construction (vents, Class-A roofing) address the exposure this page's own numbers describe, not a generic checklist. See the home-hardening guide.
Where Clifton's figures come from
Every one of the two percentiles behind Clifton's 13,408-place national rank traces to USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities dataset — see the methodology guide. The exposure-zones guide covers what Clifton's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.