Johnson, VT
Johnson wildfire risk explained
Johnson sits at the 14th percentile nationally for wildfire risk to structures — among the lower wildfire-risk places nationally — per USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model, built from its 470 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks Johnson at the 14th national percentile — 1 points above its risk-to-structures score, a gap driven by how much is actually built there.
Johnson's building exposure, zone by zone
Direct exposure dominates in Johnson: 54% of its 470 buildings, versus 46% Indirect and 0% Minimal. Clearing space around a structure changes the outcome here more than any single building-material swap.
Where Johnson ranks
Johnson scores 14th nationally and 25th within Vermont — close enough that its state context doesn't change the picture the national number already gives. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Johnson ranks 27,279 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 17,884 by building count (1 is largest). Within Vermont alone, it ranks 135 of 179 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Vermont on its state page.
Johnson and the insurance market
Johnson's low rating (14th percentile nationally) sits outside the range where wildfire risk alone reshapes an insurance market — still, a homeowner here loses nothing by comparing rates.
Hardening a home in Johnson
Because Direct exposure dominates in Johnson (54%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Johnson's figures come from
Every one of the two percentiles behind Johnson's 27,279-place national rank traces to USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities dataset — see the methodology guide. The exposure-zones guide covers what Johnson's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.