Eldon, MO
Eldon wildfire risk explained
Eldon sits at the 73rd percentile nationally for wildfire risk to structures — well above the national norm for wildfire risk — per USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model, built from its 2,546 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Eldon's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 75th percentile nationally.
Where Eldon's buildings actually sit
42.4% of Eldon's 2,546 buildings sit in USFS's Minimal exposure zone, with only 17.1% rated Direct — risk here comes from regional burn probability more than proximity to burnable vegetation at the structure itself.
Eldon against the rest of the country
Compare Eldon's two percentiles: 89th within Missouri, only 73rd nationally — a gap of 15 points that marks it as unusually exposed for its own state. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Eldon ranks 8,380 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 6,213 by building count (1 is largest). Within Missouri alone, it ranks 121 of 1,062 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Missouri on its state page.
Shopping for coverage in Eldon
At the 73rd percentile nationally, Eldon carries the 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 Eldon
Even with 42.4% of Eldon outside USFS's Direct and Indirect zones, basic hardening — gutter maintenance, ember-resistant vents — is inexpensive relative to the regional burn-probability risk noted above. Details in the home-hardening guide.
More on how this number was built
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 2,546 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Eldon. For more on what minimal exposure implies beyond Eldon, see the exposure-zones guide.