McKenzie, AL
McKenzie, AL's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
McKenzie's 448 buildings earn a 66th-percentile wildfire-risk score nationally under USFS's model — well above the national norm for wildfire risk. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks McKenzie at the 68th national percentile — 2 points above its risk-to-structures score, a gap driven by how much is actually built there.
What "at risk" means for the buildings here
USFS classifies 91.5% of McKenzie's buildings as Direct exposure, higher than its 8.5% Indirect share and far above its 0% Minimal share — a profile where 410 structures sit close enough to vegetation that lot clearing matters most.
How McKenzie compares
McKenzie ranks lower within Alabama (37th percentile statewide) than its 66th national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, McKenzie ranks 10,703 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 18,312 by building count (1 is largest). Within Alabama alone, it ranks 371 of 592 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Alabama on its state page.
McKenzie and the insurance market
At the 66th percentile nationally, McKenzie 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
With 91.5% of McKenzie in Direct exposure, defensible-space clearing and ember-resistant construction (vents, Class-A roofing) address the exposure this page's own numbers describe, not a generic checklist. See the home-hardening guide.
Where McKenzie's figures come from
Every one of the two percentiles behind McKenzie's 10,703-place national rank traces to USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities dataset — see the methodology guide. The exposure-zones guide covers what McKenzie's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.