Darlington, MD
Darlington wildfire risk explained
Darlington sits at the 17th percentile nationally for wildfire risk to structures — among the lower wildfire-risk places nationally — per USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model, built from its 283 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Darlington's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 15th percentile nationally.
What "at risk" means for the buildings here
283 buildings are counted in Darlington, and 90.1% of them sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone — flame contact, not just ember cast, is the live possibility for most of them, against 0% rated Minimal.
How Darlington compares
Darlington scores 17th nationally and 18th within Maryland — close enough that its state context doesn't change the picture the national number already gives. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Darlington ranks 26,282 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 22,089 by building count (1 is largest). Within Maryland alone, it ranks 434 of 527 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Maryland on its state page.
Darlington and the insurance market
Darlington's low wildfire rating (17th percentile) isn't the kind of score driving the carrier pullback making news in the highest-risk Western markets — but a standard homeowners quote is still worth comparing on its own terms.
Lowering exposure, not just insuring around it
Because Direct exposure dominates in Darlington (90.1%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Darlington's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 283 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Darlington. The exposure-zones guide covers what Darlington's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.