Hiwassee, VA
Hiwassee wildfire risk explained
Hiwassee's 235 buildings earn a 62nd-percentile wildfire-risk score nationally under USFS's model — well above the national norm for wildfire risk. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks Hiwassee at the 64th 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
Direct exposure dominates in Hiwassee: 96.6% of its 235 buildings, versus 0% Indirect and 3.4% Minimal. Clearing space around a structure changes the outcome here more than any single building-material swap.
Where Hiwassee ranks
Hiwassee scores 62nd nationally and 70th within Virginia — close enough that its state context doesn't change the picture the national number already gives. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Hiwassee ranks 12,021 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 23,648 by building count (1 is largest). Within Virginia alone, it ranks 210 of 681 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Virginia on its state page.
Hiwassee and the insurance market
At the 62nd percentile nationally, Hiwassee 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
Because Direct exposure dominates in Hiwassee (96.6%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Hiwassee's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 235 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Hiwassee. The exposure-zones guide covers what Hiwassee's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.