Humboldt, SD
Humboldt wildfire risk explained
Humboldt sits at the 36th percentile nationally for wildfire risk to structures — close to the middle of USFS's national wildfire-risk range — per USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model, built from its 379 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Humboldt's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 32nd percentile nationally.
Where Humboldt's buildings actually sit
57.8% of Humboldt's 379 buildings sit in USFS's Minimal exposure zone, with only 42.2% rated Direct — risk here comes from regional burn probability more than proximity to burnable vegetation at the structure itself.
Where Humboldt ranks
Humboldt ranks lower within South Dakota (9th percentile statewide) than its 36th national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Humboldt ranks 20,280 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 19,673 by building count (1 is largest). Within South Dakota alone, it ranks 401 of 439 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for South Dakota on its state page.
Shopping for coverage in Humboldt
Humboldt's moderate wildfire rating (36th percentile) isn't the kind of score driving the carrier pullback making news in the highest-risk Western markets — but a standard homeowners quote is still worth comparing on its own terms.
Lowering exposure, not just insuring around it
Even with 57.8% of Humboldt outside USFS's Direct and Indirect zones, basic hardening — gutter maintenance, ember-resistant vents — is inexpensive relative to the regional burn-probability risk noted above. Details in the home-hardening guide.
More on how this number was built
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 379 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Humboldt. For more on what minimal exposure implies beyond Humboldt, see the exposure-zones guide.