Murray, IA
Murray wildfire risk explained
Out of every US place USFS scores, Murray lands at the 63rd percentile for wildfire risk to structures — well above the national norm for wildfire risk — a figure built from its 557 buildings, not the land around them. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Murray's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 64th percentile nationally.
Murray's building exposure, zone by zone
75.2% of Murray's 557 buildings fall in USFS's Indirect exposure zone — ember cast rather than direct flame — against 24.8% Direct and 0% Minimal. Vent screens and roofing material matter more here than lot clearing alone.
Murray against the rest of the country
Murray's 86th-percentile standing inside Iowa outpaces its 63rd national percentile — this is a hotter spot than most of its own state, even though the state as a whole runs cooler nationally. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Murray ranks 11,660 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 16,454 by building count (1 is largest). Within Iowa alone, it ranks 140 of 1,017 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Iowa on its state page.
Murray and the insurance market
At the 63rd percentile nationally, Murray 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.
What would actually reduce this score
Because 75.2% of Murray's buildings sit in the Indirect zone, sealing the ember pathway (vents, roofing, gutters) is the intervention this page's data actually supports — see the home-hardening guide.
Where Murray's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 557 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Murray. The exposure-zones guide covers what Murray's dominant indirect exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.