Lake, MS
Lake wildfire risk explained
Lake's 356 buildings earn a 66th-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.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks Lake at the 69th national percentile — 3 points above its risk-to-structures score, a gap driven by how much is actually built there.
Where Lake's buildings actually sit
75% of Lake's 356 buildings sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone, roughly 267 structures close enough to burnable vegetation for flame contact, not just embers — 25% fall in the Indirect, ember-only zone and 0% are Minimal.
Where Lake ranks
Lake ranks lower within Mississippi (47th percentile statewide) than its 66th national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Lake ranks 10,651 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 20,161 by building count (1 is largest). Within Mississippi alone, it ranks 225 of 420 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Mississippi on its state page.
Shopping for coverage in Lake
Lake's high rating (66th 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.
What would actually reduce this score
Because Direct exposure dominates in Lake (75%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Lake's figures come from
Lake's 66th-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 Lake's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.