Howland, ME
Howland wildfire risk explained
USFS scores Howland at the 9th national percentile for wildfire risk to structures (among the lower wildfire-risk places nationally), a figure built from 758 real buildings rather than raw vegetation cover. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Howland's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 8th percentile nationally.
Howland's building exposure, zone by zone
758 buildings are counted in Howland, and 52.9% of them sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone — flame contact, not just ember cast, is the live possibility for most of them, against 2.6% rated Minimal.
Where Howland ranks
Howland's 33rd-percentile standing inside Maine outpaces its 9th 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, Howland ranks 28,841 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 14,038 by building count (1 is largest). Within Maine alone, it ranks 105 of 155 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Maine on its state page.
Howland and the insurance market
Howland's low rating (9th percentile nationally) sits outside the range where wildfire risk alone reshapes an insurance market — still, a homeowner here loses nothing by comparing rates.
What would actually reduce this score
Because Direct exposure dominates in Howland (52.9%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Howland's figures come from
Every one of the two percentiles behind Howland's 28,841-place national rank traces to USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities dataset — see the methodology guide. The exposure-zones guide covers what Howland's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.