Cumberland-Hesstown, NJ
How exposed is Cumberland-Hesstown to wildfire?
USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model puts Cumberland-Hesstown at the 91st national percentile for risk to structures, in USFS's highest wildfire-risk band nationally — a score built from 199 actual buildings. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Cumberland-Hesstown's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 89th percentile nationally.
Cumberland-Hesstown's building exposure, zone by zone
100% of Cumberland-Hesstown's 199 buildings sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone, roughly 199 structures close enough to burnable vegetation for flame contact, not just embers — 0% fall in the Indirect, ember-only zone and 0% are Minimal.
Where Cumberland-Hesstown ranks
Cumberland-Hesstown's risk sits at a similar level relative to New Jersey (96th percentile statewide) as it does nationally (91st) — this place isn't unusual for its own state either way. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Cumberland-Hesstown ranks 2,833 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 24,895 by building count (1 is largest). Within New Jersey alone, it ranks 27 of 700 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for New Jersey on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
At the 91st percentile nationally, Cumberland-Hesstown 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
Because Direct exposure dominates in Cumberland-Hesstown (100%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Cumberland-Hesstown's figures come from
Every one of the two percentiles behind Cumberland-Hesstown's 2,833-place national rank traces to USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities dataset — see the methodology guide. The exposure-zones guide covers what Cumberland-Hesstown's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.