Merriam Woods, MO
Merriam Woods, MO's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
Out of every US place USFS scores, Merriam Woods lands at the 72nd percentile for wildfire risk to structures — well above the national norm for wildfire risk — a figure built from its 868 buildings, not the land around them. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Merriam Woods's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 74th percentile nationally.
Where Merriam Woods's buildings actually sit
53.3% of Merriam Woods's 868 buildings fall in USFS's Indirect exposure zone — ember cast rather than direct flame — against 46.7% Direct and 0% Minimal. Vent screens and roofing material matter more here than lot clearing alone.
How Merriam Woods compares
There's little gap between Merriam Woods's 72nd national percentile and its 85th percentile inside Missouri, which means the state comparison mostly confirms what the national score already shows. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Merriam Woods ranks 8,954 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 13,004 by building count (1 is largest). Within Missouri alone, it ranks 160 of 1,062 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Missouri on its state page.
Merriam Woods and the insurance market
At the 72nd percentile nationally, Merriam Woods 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.
Hardening a home in Merriam Woods
Merriam Woods's 53.3% Indirect-exposure share points at embers, not flame contact, as the main pathway — ember-resistant vents and non-combustible roofing rank ahead of defensible space here. Detail in the home-hardening guide.
Where Merriam Woods's figures come from
Every one of the two percentiles behind Merriam Woods's 8,954-place national rank traces to USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities dataset — see the methodology guide. The exposure-zones guide covers what Merriam Woods's dominant indirect exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.