Cowiche, WA
Cowiche wildfire risk explained
Cowiche sits at the 96th percentile nationally for wildfire risk to structures — in USFS's highest wildfire-risk band nationally — per USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model, built from its 309 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Cowiche's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 98th percentile nationally.
Where Cowiche's buildings actually sit
Direct exposure dominates in Cowiche: 59.9% of its 309 buildings, versus 40.1% Indirect and 0% Minimal. Clearing space around a structure changes the outcome here more than any single building-material swap.
Where Cowiche ranks
Cowiche's risk sits at a similar level relative to Washington (91st percentile statewide) as it does nationally (96th) — this place isn't unusual for its own state either way. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Cowiche ranks 1,148 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 21,408 by building count (1 is largest). Within Washington alone, it ranks 59 of 628 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Washington on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
At the 96th percentile nationally, Cowiche carries the very 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 Cowiche
Because Direct exposure dominates in Cowiche (59.9%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
More on how this number was built
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 309 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Cowiche. For more on what direct exposure implies beyond Cowiche, see the exposure-zones guide.