Mercer, WI
Mercer wildfire risk explained
USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model puts Mercer at the 14th national percentile for risk to structures, among the lower wildfire-risk places nationally — a score built from 698 actual buildings. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Mercer's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 13th percentile nationally.
What "at risk" means for the buildings here
71.5% of Mercer's 698 buildings sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone, roughly 499 structures close enough to burnable vegetation for flame contact, not just embers — 26.8% fall in the Indirect, ember-only zone and 1.7% are Minimal.
Where Mercer ranks
There's little gap between Mercer's 14th national percentile and its 15th percentile inside Wisconsin, which means the state comparison mostly confirms what the national score already shows. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Mercer ranks 27,091 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 14,685 by building count (1 is largest). Within Wisconsin alone, it ranks 689 of 808 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Wisconsin on its state page.
Shopping for coverage in Mercer
Mercer's low rating (14th percentile nationally) sits outside the range where wildfire risk alone reshapes an insurance market — still, a homeowner here loses nothing by comparing rates.
Lowering exposure, not just insuring around it
Because Direct exposure dominates in Mercer (71.5%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Mercer's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 698 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Mercer. The exposure-zones guide covers what Mercer's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.