Dawson, ND
Dawson, ND's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
Dawson sits at the 35th percentile nationally for wildfire risk to structures — close to the middle of USFS's national wildfire-risk range — per USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model, built from its 117 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Dawson's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 31st percentile nationally.
Dawson's building exposure, zone by zone
Direct exposure dominates in Dawson: 50.4% of its 117 buildings, versus 0% Indirect and 49.6% Minimal. Clearing space around a structure changes the outcome here more than any single building-material swap.
Where Dawson ranks
Dawson ranks lower within North Dakota (17th percentile statewide) than its 35th national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Dawson ranks 20,394 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 28,321 by building count (1 is largest). Within North Dakota alone, it ranks 333 of 402 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for North Dakota on its state page.
Dawson and the insurance market
At the 35th national percentile, Dawson rates moderate for wildfire risk — well short of the threshold where insurers have been withdrawing coverage, though comparing a quote costs nothing either way.
What would actually reduce this score
Because Direct exposure dominates in Dawson (50.4%), 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 117 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Dawson. For more on what direct exposure implies beyond Dawson, see the exposure-zones guide.