Hanson, KY
How exposed is Hanson to wildfire?
Hanson sits at the 38th 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 495 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks Hanson at the 40th national percentile — 2 points above its risk-to-structures score, a gap driven by how much is actually built there.
What "at risk" means for the buildings here
70.1% of Hanson's 495 buildings sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone, roughly 347 structures close enough to burnable vegetation for flame contact, not just embers — 24.2% fall in the Indirect, ember-only zone and 5.7% are Minimal.
Where Hanson ranks
Compare Hanson's two percentiles: 66th within Kentucky, only 38th nationally — a gap of 28 points that marks it as unusually exposed for its own state. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Hanson ranks 19,533 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 17,441 by building count (1 is largest). Within Kentucky alone, it ranks 188 of 552 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Kentucky on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
Hanson's moderate rating (38th percentile nationally) sits outside the range where wildfire risk alone reshapes an insurance market — still, a homeowner here loses nothing by comparing rates.
Hardening a home in Hanson
Because Direct exposure dominates in Hanson (70.1%), 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 495 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Hanson. For more on what direct exposure implies beyond Hanson, see the exposure-zones guide.