Independence, VA
Independence wildfire risk explained
Independence's 638 buildings earn a 73rd-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.)
USFS's separate burn-probability score — fire likelihood alone, before counting what's built there — puts Independence at the 75th percentile, close to its 73rd-percentile risk score.
What "at risk" means for the buildings here
Direct exposure dominates in Independence: 72.7% of its 638 buildings, versus 27.3% Indirect and 0% Minimal. Clearing space around a structure changes the outcome here more than any single building-material swap.
Independence against the rest of the country
There's little gap between Independence's 73rd national percentile and its 87th percentile inside Virginia, which means the state comparison mostly confirms what the national score already shows. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Independence ranks 8,682 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 15,373 by building count (1 is largest). Within Virginia alone, it ranks 92 of 681 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Virginia on its state page.
Shopping for coverage in Independence
At the 73rd percentile nationally, Independence 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.
What would actually reduce this score
Because Direct exposure dominates in Independence (72.7%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Independence's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 638 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Independence. The exposure-zones guide covers what Independence's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.