Lake Norden, SD
Lake Norden, SD's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
Lake Norden sits at the 50th 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 293 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Lake Norden's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 45th percentile nationally.
Where Lake Norden's buildings actually sit
62.1% of Lake Norden's 293 buildings sit in USFS's Minimal exposure zone, with only 37.9% rated Direct — risk here comes from regional burn probability more than proximity to burnable vegetation at the structure itself.
Where Lake Norden ranks
Lake Norden ranks lower within South Dakota (30th percentile statewide) than its 50th 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 Norden ranks 15,770 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 21,835 by building count (1 is largest). Within South Dakota alone, it ranks 308 of 439 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for South Dakota on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
Lake Norden's elevated wildfire rating (50th 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
Even with 62.1% of Lake Norden outside USFS's Direct and Indirect zones, basic hardening — gutter maintenance, ember-resistant vents — is inexpensive relative to the regional burn-probability risk noted above. Details in the home-hardening guide.
More on how this number was built
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 293 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Lake Norden. For more on what minimal exposure implies beyond Lake Norden, see the exposure-zones guide.