Lutsen, MN
Lutsen, MN's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
Lutsen sits at the 77th percentile nationally for wildfire risk to structures — well above the national norm for wildfire risk — per USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model, built from its 348 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Lutsen's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 78th percentile nationally.
Lutsen's building exposure, zone by zone
Direct exposure dominates in Lutsen: 91.4% of its 348 buildings, versus 7.2% Indirect and 1.4% Minimal. Clearing space around a structure changes the outcome here more than any single building-material swap.
How Lutsen compares
Lutsen's 97th-percentile standing inside Minnesota outpaces its 77th national percentile — this is a hotter spot than most of its own state, even though the state as a whole runs cooler nationally. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Lutsen ranks 7,409 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 20,366 by building count (1 is largest). Within Minnesota alone, it ranks 31 of 914 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Minnesota on its state page.
Lutsen and the insurance market
At the 77th percentile nationally, Lutsen carries the high rating that has pushed some carriers to limit new business in similarly-scored places elsewhere in the country. Worth comparing quotes rather than assuming last year's renewal terms still apply.
Lowering exposure, not just insuring around it
Because Direct exposure dominates in Lutsen (91.4%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Lutsen's figures come from
Every one of the two percentiles behind Lutsen's 7,409-place national rank traces to USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities dataset — see the methodology guide. The exposure-zones guide covers what Lutsen's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.