Hayesville, IA
How exposed is Hayesville to wildfire?
Hayesville sits at the 67th 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 65 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks Hayesville at the 68th 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
65 buildings are counted in Hayesville, and 92.3% of them are Indirect exposure — ember-driven risk rather than the 7.7% in Direct exposure or the 0% rated Minimal.
Hayesville against the rest of the country
Hayesville's 91st-percentile standing inside Iowa outpaces its 67th national percentile — this is a hotter spot than most of its own state, even though the state as a whole runs cooler nationally. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Hayesville ranks 10,490 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 30,456 by building count (1 is largest). Within Iowa alone, it ranks 98 of 1,017 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Iowa on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
At the 67th percentile nationally, Hayesville 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.
Lowering exposure, not just insuring around it
With ember exposure the dominant pattern in Hayesville (92.3% Indirect), vent screens and roofing material tend to matter more than lot clearing alone. The home-hardening guide covers both.
Where Hayesville's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 65 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Hayesville. The exposure-zones guide covers what Hayesville's dominant indirect exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.