Lower Kalskag, AK
Lower Kalskag, AK's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
Lower Kalskag sits at the 84th percentile nationally for wildfire risk to structures — in USFS's highest wildfire-risk band nationally — per USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model, built from its 108 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 Lower Kalskag at the 82nd percentile, close to its 84th-percentile risk score.
What "at risk" means for the buildings here
78.7% of Lower Kalskag's 108 buildings sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone, roughly 85 structures close enough to burnable vegetation for flame contact, not just embers — 21.3% fall in the Indirect, ember-only zone and 0% are Minimal.
How Lower Kalskag compares
Lower Kalskag ranks lower within Alaska (66th percentile statewide) than its 84th national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Lower Kalskag ranks 5,189 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 28,678 by building count (1 is largest). Within Alaska alone, it ranks 109 of 322 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Alaska on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
Lower Kalskag's very high rating (84th percentile) puts it among the places where the national carrier-pullback trend is most relevant — not a guarantee of a coverage problem, but a reason to shop rather than assume.
Hardening a home in Lower Kalskag
Because Direct exposure dominates in Lower Kalskag (78.7%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Lower Kalskag's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 108 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Lower Kalskag. The exposure-zones guide covers what Lower Kalskag's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.