Hyden, KY
Hyden wildfire risk explained
USFS scores Hyden at the 93rd national percentile for wildfire risk to structures (in USFS's highest wildfire-risk band nationally), a figure built from 253 real buildings rather than raw vegetation cover. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks Hyden at the 95th 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
USFS classifies 52.2% of Hyden's buildings as Direct exposure, higher than its 47.8% Indirect share and far above its 0% Minimal share — a profile where 132 structures sit close enough to vegetation that lot clearing matters most.
Where Hyden ranks
Hyden's risk sits at a similar level relative to Kentucky (96th percentile statewide) as it does nationally (93rd) — this place isn't unusual for its own state either way. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Hyden ranks 2,233 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 23,043 by building count (1 is largest). Within Kentucky alone, it ranks 21 of 552 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Kentucky on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
Hyden's very high rating (93rd percentile) puts it among the places where the national carrier-pullback trend is most relevant — not a guarantee of a coverage problem, but a reason to shop rather than assume.
Hardening a home in Hyden
Because Direct exposure dominates in Hyden (52.2%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Hyden's figures come from
Hyden's 93rd-percentile score and its burn-probability figure both come from the same USFS workbook, documented in the methodology guide. The exposure-zones guide covers what Hyden's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.