Metz, MO
How exposed is Metz to wildfire?
USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model puts Metz at the 47th national percentile for risk to structures, modestly above the national average for wildfire risk — a score built from 60 actual buildings. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Metz's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 48th percentile nationally.
What "at risk" means for the buildings here
Indirect exposure is dominant in Metz (58.3% of 60 buildings): far enough from burnable vegetation to avoid flame contact, close enough for wind-blown embers. Only 41.7% sit in the Direct zone.
Where Metz ranks
Inside Missouri, Metz sits at just the 27th percentile even though it scores 47th nationally — the state's overall wildfire exposure is high enough to make this a relatively quiet corner of it. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Metz ranks 16,798 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 30,654 by building count (1 is largest). Within Missouri alone, it ranks 781 of 1,062 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Missouri on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
At the 47th national percentile, Metz 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
Metz's 58.3% 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 Metz's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 60 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Metz. The exposure-zones guide covers what Metz's dominant indirect exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.