Leadville, CO
How exposed is Leadville to wildfire?
Out of every US place USFS scores, Leadville lands at the 48th percentile for wildfire risk to structures — modestly above the national average for wildfire risk — a figure built from its 1,861 buildings, not the land around them. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Leadville's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 43rd percentile nationally.
What "at risk" means for the buildings here
1,861 buildings are counted in Leadville, and 95.9% of them are Indirect exposure — ember-driven risk rather than the 4.1% in Direct exposure or the 0% rated Minimal.
Where Leadville ranks
Leadville ranks lower within Colorado (15th percentile statewide) than its 48th national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Leadville ranks 16,412 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 7,880 by building count (1 is largest). Within Colorado alone, it ranks 403 of 472 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Colorado on its state page.
Shopping for coverage in Leadville
Leadville's elevated wildfire rating (48th 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
Leadville's 95.9% 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 Leadville's figures come from
Leadville's 48th-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 Leadville's dominant indirect exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.