Lawler, IA
Lawler wildfire risk explained
Lawler sits at the 10th 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 325 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Lawler's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 10th percentile nationally.
What "at risk" means for the buildings here
90.5% of Lawler's 325 buildings sit in USFS's Minimal exposure zone, with only 9.5% rated Direct — risk here comes from regional burn probability more than proximity to burnable vegetation at the structure itself.
Where Lawler ranks
Lawler's risk sits at a similar level relative to Iowa (20th percentile statewide) as it does nationally (10th) — this place isn't unusual for its own state either way. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Lawler ranks 28,233 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 20,955 by building count (1 is largest). Within Iowa alone, it ranks 815 of 1,017 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Iowa on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
Lawler's low rating (10th percentile nationally) sits outside the range where wildfire risk alone reshapes an insurance market — still, a homeowner here loses nothing by comparing rates.
Lowering exposure, not just insuring around it
Even with 90.5% of Lawler 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.
Where Lawler's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 325 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Lawler. The exposure-zones guide covers what Lawler's dominant minimal exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.