Mendes, GA
Mendes, GA's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model puts Mendes at the 60th national percentile for risk to structures, modestly above the national average for wildfire risk — a score built from 108 actual buildings. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks Mendes at the 60th national percentile — 1 points above its risk-to-structures score, a gap driven by how much is actually built there.
Where Mendes's buildings actually sit
Direct exposure dominates in Mendes: 52.8% of its 108 buildings, versus 47.2% Indirect and 0% Minimal. Clearing space around a structure changes the outcome here more than any single building-material swap.
Mendes against the rest of the country
Mendes's 60th national percentile looks worse in isolation than its 18th ranking inside Georgia does — this place is on the milder end for its own state, by 42 points. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Mendes ranks 12,759 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 28,686 by building count (1 is largest). Within Georgia alone, it ranks 549 of 669 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Georgia on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
At the 60th national percentile, Mendes rates elevated for wildfire risk — well short of the threshold where insurers have been withdrawing coverage, though comparing a quote costs nothing either way.
Lowering exposure, not just insuring around it
Because Direct exposure dominates in Mendes (52.8%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Mendes's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 108 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Mendes. The exposure-zones guide covers what Mendes's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.