Leola, SD
Leola wildfire risk explained
Leola sits at the 48th 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 477 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Leola's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 47th percentile nationally.
Leola's building exposure, zone by zone
Most of Leola's buildings (76.7% of 477) fall outside USFS's Direct and Indirect zones entirely — that doesn't zero out the score above, it means the risk is regional, not structure-by-structure.
Where Leola ranks
Inside South Dakota, Leola sits at just the 26th percentile even though it scores 48th nationally — the state's overall wildfire exposure is high enough to make this a relatively quiet corner of it. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Leola ranks 16,401 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 17,770 by building count (1 is largest). Within South Dakota alone, it ranks 326 of 439 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for South Dakota on its state page.
Leola and the insurance market
At the 48th national percentile, Leola rates elevated for wildfire risk — well short of the threshold where insurers have been withdrawing coverage, though comparing a quote costs nothing either way.
Lowering exposure, not just insuring around it
With 76.7% of buildings rated Minimal exposure, Leola gets less benefit from structure hardening than a Direct- or Indirect-dominant place would — the home-hardening guide explains why the zone matters.
Where Leola's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 477 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Leola. The exposure-zones guide covers what Leola's dominant minimal exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.