Lowell, WI
How exposed is Lowell to wildfire?
Lowell sits at the 42nd 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 222 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
USFS's separate burn-probability score — fire likelihood alone, before counting what's built there — puts Lowell at the 42nd percentile, close to its 42nd-percentile risk score.
Lowell's building exposure, zone by zone
76.6% of Lowell's 222 buildings sit in USFS's Minimal exposure zone, with only 23.4% rated Direct — risk here comes from regional burn probability more than proximity to burnable vegetation at the structure itself.
How Lowell compares
Within Wisconsin, Lowell ranks higher (93rd percentile) than it does nationally (42nd) — one of the more fire-exposed places in a state that, overall, scores lower than that. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Lowell ranks 18,455 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 24,069 by building count (1 is largest). Within Wisconsin alone, it ranks 60 of 808 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Wisconsin on its state page.
Lowell and the insurance market
At the 42nd national percentile, Lowell rates elevated for wildfire risk — well short of the threshold where insurers have been withdrawing coverage, though comparing a quote costs nothing either way.
What would actually reduce this score
Even with 76.6% of Lowell 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 Lowell's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 222 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Lowell. The exposure-zones guide covers what Lowell's dominant minimal exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.