La Plata, MD
La Plata wildfire risk explained
La Plata sits at the 43rd percentile nationally for wildfire risk to structures — modestly above the national average for wildfire risk — per USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model, built from its 2,851 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
USFS's separate burn-probability score — fire likelihood alone, before counting what's built there — puts La Plata at the 43rd percentile, close to its 43rd-percentile risk score.
What "at risk" means for the buildings here
Indirect exposure is dominant in La Plata (52.3% of 2,851 buildings): far enough from burnable vegetation to avoid flame contact, close enough for wind-blown embers. Only 47.7% sit in the Direct zone.
Where La Plata ranks
La Plata's 62nd-percentile standing inside Maryland outpaces its 43rd national percentile — this is a hotter spot than most of its own state, even though the state as a whole runs cooler nationally. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, La Plata ranks 17,929 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 5,663 by building count (1 is largest). Within Maryland alone, it ranks 200 of 527 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Maryland on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
At the 43rd national percentile, La Plata rates elevated for wildfire risk — well short of the threshold where insurers have been withdrawing coverage, though comparing a quote costs nothing either way.
Hardening a home in La Plata
La Plata's 52.3% Indirect-exposure share points at embers, not flame contact, as the main pathway — ember-resistant vents and non-combustible roofing rank ahead of defensible space here. Detail in the home-hardening guide.
Where La Plata's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 2,851 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for La Plata. The exposure-zones guide covers what La Plata's dominant indirect exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.