Mellette, SD
Mellette, SD's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
Mellette sits at the 55th 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 187 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Mellette's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 53rd percentile nationally.
Where Mellette's buildings actually sit
Only 38% of Mellette's 187 buildings carry Direct exposure and 0% carry Indirect; the remaining 62% are Minimal, which shifts the risk driving this page's score toward the surrounding landscape rather than any one structure.
Where Mellette ranks
Mellette ranks lower within South Dakota (37th 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, Mellette ranks 14,322 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 25,371 by building count (1 is largest). Within South Dakota alone, it ranks 279 of 439 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for South Dakota on its state page.
Shopping for coverage in Mellette
At the 55th national percentile, Mellette 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
With 62% of buildings rated Minimal exposure, Mellette gets less benefit from structure hardening than a Direct- or Indirect-dominant place would — the home-hardening guide explains why the zone matters.
Where Mellette's figures come from
Mellette'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 Mellette's dominant minimal exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.