Malvern, AL
How exposed is Malvern to wildfire?
Out of every US place USFS scores, Malvern lands at the 55th percentile for wildfire risk to structures — modestly above the national average for wildfire risk — a figure built from its 1,157 buildings, not the land around them. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
USFS's separate burn-probability score — fire likelihood alone, before counting what's built there — puts Malvern at the 55th percentile, close to its 55th-percentile risk score.
What "at risk" means for the buildings here
1,157 buildings are counted in Malvern, and 82.9% of them sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone — flame contact, not just ember cast, is the live possibility for most of them, against 0.3% rated Minimal.
Malvern against the rest of the country
Malvern ranks lower within Alabama (12th percentile statewide) than its 55th national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Malvern ranks 14,233 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 10,903 by building count (1 is largest). Within Alabama alone, it ranks 522 of 592 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Alabama on its state page.
Malvern and the insurance market
At the 55th national percentile, Malvern rates elevated for wildfire risk — well short of the threshold where insurers have been withdrawing coverage, though comparing a quote costs nothing either way.
Hardening a home in Malvern
Because Direct exposure dominates in Malvern (82.9%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Malvern's figures come from
Malvern's 55th-percentile score and its burn-probability figure both come from the same USFS workbook, documented in the methodology guide. The exposure-zones guide covers what Malvern's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.