McKenzie, TN
McKenzie, TN's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
McKenzie sits at the 43rd percentile nationally for wildfire risk to structures — modestly above the national average for wildfire risk — per USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model, built from its 2,913 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks McKenzie at the 45th national percentile — 1 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
65.3% of McKenzie's 2,913 buildings sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone, roughly 1,903 structures close enough to burnable vegetation for flame contact, not just embers — 33.5% fall in the Indirect, ember-only zone and 1.2% are Minimal.
How McKenzie compares
McKenzie scores 43rd nationally and 33rd within Tennessee — close enough that its state context doesn't change the picture the national number already gives. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, McKenzie ranks 17,913 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 5,567 by building count (1 is largest). Within Tennessee alone, it ranks 338 of 502 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Tennessee on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
At the 43rd national percentile, McKenzie rates elevated for wildfire risk — well short of the threshold where insurers have been withdrawing coverage, though comparing a quote costs nothing either way.
What would actually reduce this score
Because Direct exposure dominates in McKenzie (65.3%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
More on how this number was built
Every one of the two percentiles behind McKenzie's 17,913-place national rank traces to USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities dataset — see the methodology guide. For more on what direct exposure implies beyond McKenzie, see the exposure-zones guide.