Makaha, HI
How exposed is Makaha to wildfire?
Makaha sits at the 100th 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 2,294 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Makaha's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 100th percentile nationally.
What "at risk" means for the buildings here
Indirect exposure is dominant in Makaha (81.3% of 2,294 buildings): far enough from burnable vegetation to avoid flame contact, close enough for wind-blown embers. Only 18.3% sit in the Direct zone.
Where Makaha ranks
Makaha's risk sits at a similar level relative to Hawaii (99th percentile statewide) as it does nationally (100th) — this place isn't unusual for its own state either way. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Makaha ranks 71 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 6,708 by building count (1 is largest). Within Hawaii alone, it ranks 3 of 163 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Hawaii on its state page.
Makaha and the insurance market
At the 100th percentile nationally, Makaha carries the very 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
With ember exposure the dominant pattern in Makaha (81.3% Indirect), vent screens and roofing material tend to matter more than lot clearing alone. The home-hardening guide covers both.
More on how this number was built
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 2,294 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Makaha. For more on what indirect exposure implies beyond Makaha, see the exposure-zones guide.