Kulm, ND
Kulm wildfire risk explained
Out of every US place USFS scores, Kulm lands at the 38th percentile for wildfire risk to structures — close to the middle of USFS's national wildfire-risk range — a figure built from its 455 buildings, not the land around them. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Kulm's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 33rd percentile nationally.
Where Kulm's buildings actually sit
455 buildings are counted in Kulm, and 71.7% of them are Indirect exposure — ember-driven risk rather than the 27.9% in Direct exposure or the 0.4% rated Minimal.
How Kulm compares
Kulm ranks lower within North Dakota (20th percentile statewide) than its 38th national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Kulm ranks 19,609 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 18,182 by building count (1 is largest). Within North Dakota alone, it ranks 320 of 402 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for North Dakota on its state page.
Shopping for coverage in Kulm
Kulm's moderate wildfire rating (38th 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.
What would actually reduce this score
Because 71.7% of Kulm's buildings sit in the Indirect zone, sealing the ember pathway (vents, roofing, gutters) is the intervention this page's data actually supports — see the home-hardening guide.
Where Kulm's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 455 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Kulm. The exposure-zones guide covers what Kulm's dominant indirect exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.