Hightsville, NC
Hightsville wildfire risk explained
Hightsville sits at the 86th percentile nationally for wildfire risk to structures — in USFS's highest wildfire-risk band nationally — per USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model, built from its 391 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Hightsville's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 80th percentile nationally.
What "at risk" means for the buildings here
55.8% of Hightsville's 391 buildings sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone, roughly 218 structures close enough to burnable vegetation for flame contact, not just embers — 44.3% fall in the Indirect, ember-only zone and 0% are Minimal.
Where Hightsville ranks
There's little gap between Hightsville's 86th national percentile and its 94th percentile inside North Carolina, which means the state comparison mostly confirms what the national score already shows. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Hightsville ranks 4,449 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 19,397 by building count (1 is largest). Within North Carolina alone, it ranks 44 of 772 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for North Carolina on its state page.
Shopping for coverage in Hightsville
At the 86th percentile nationally, Hightsville carries the very 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 Hightsville
Because Direct exposure dominates in Hightsville (55.8%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Hightsville's figures come from
Every one of the two percentiles behind Hightsville's 4,449-place national rank traces to USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities dataset — see the methodology guide. The exposure-zones guide covers what Hightsville's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.