Craig, MT
How exposed is Craig to wildfire?
USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model puts Craig at the 84th national percentile for risk to structures, in USFS's highest wildfire-risk band nationally — a score built from 101 actual buildings. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
USFS's separate burn-probability score — fire likelihood alone, before counting what's built there — puts Craig at the 85th percentile, close to its 84th-percentile risk score.
Craig's building exposure, zone by zone
101 buildings are counted in Craig, and 61.4% of them are Indirect exposure — ember-driven risk rather than the 38.6% in Direct exposure or the 0% rated Minimal.
Craig against the rest of the country
Craig ranks lower within Montana (61st percentile statewide) than its 84th national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Craig ranks 4,952 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 29,001 by building count (1 is largest). Within Montana alone, it ranks 184 of 475 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Montana on its state page.
Craig and the insurance market
At the 84th percentile nationally, Craig 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.
What would actually reduce this score
With ember exposure the dominant pattern in Craig (61.4% Indirect), vent screens and roofing material tend to matter more than lot clearing alone. The home-hardening guide covers both.
Where Craig's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 101 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Craig. The exposure-zones guide covers what Craig's dominant indirect exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.