Grimes, AL
Grimes, AL's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
Grimes sits at the 42nd percentile nationally for wildfire risk to structures — modestly above the national average for wildfire risk — per USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model, built from its 296 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks Grimes at the 43rd national percentile — 1 points above its risk-to-structures score, a gap driven by how much is actually built there.
Where Grimes's buildings actually sit
Direct exposure dominates in Grimes: 62.5% of its 296 buildings, versus 0% Indirect and 37.5% Minimal. Clearing space around a structure changes the outcome here more than any single building-material swap.
Grimes against the rest of the country
Grimes ranks lower within Alabama (4th percentile statewide) than its 42nd national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Grimes ranks 18,173 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 21,723 by building count (1 is largest). Within Alabama alone, it ranks 569 of 592 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Alabama on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
Grimes's elevated wildfire rating (42nd 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.
What would actually reduce this score
Because Direct exposure dominates in Grimes (62.5%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Grimes's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 296 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Grimes. The exposure-zones guide covers what Grimes's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.