Homestead, MT
How exposed is Homestead to wildfire?
Homestead sits at the 71st 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 60 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks Homestead at the 71st national percentile — 0 points below its risk-to-structures score, a gap driven by how much is actually built there.
Homestead's building exposure, zone by zone
50% of Homestead's 60 buildings sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone, roughly 30 structures close enough to burnable vegetation for flame contact, not just embers — 50% fall in the Indirect, ember-only zone and 0% are Minimal.
Where Homestead ranks
Homestead ranks lower within Montana (40th percentile statewide) than its 71st national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Homestead ranks 9,233 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 30,655 by building count (1 is largest). Within Montana alone, it ranks 286 of 475 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Montana on its state page.
Shopping for coverage in Homestead
At the 71st percentile nationally, Homestead 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
Homestead's 50% Direct-exposure share means lot clearing around the structure typically outweighs any single material upgrade here. The home-hardening guide ranks the options for a place shaped like this.
More on how this number was built
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 60 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Homestead. For more on what direct exposure implies beyond Homestead, see the exposure-zones guide.