Myrtle, MS
Myrtle wildfire risk explained
Myrtle's 284 buildings earn a 78th-percentile wildfire-risk score nationally under USFS's model — well above the national norm for wildfire risk. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Myrtle's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 80th percentile nationally.
Where Myrtle's buildings actually sit
56.3% of Myrtle's 284 buildings sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone, roughly 160 structures close enough to burnable vegetation for flame contact, not just embers — 43.7% fall in the Indirect, ember-only zone and 0% are Minimal.
How Myrtle compares
Myrtle scores 78th nationally and 77th within Mississippi — close enough that its state context doesn't change the picture the national number already gives. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Myrtle ranks 6,969 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 22,060 by building count (1 is largest). Within Mississippi alone, it ranks 99 of 420 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Mississippi on its state page.
Shopping for coverage in Myrtle
Myrtle's high rating (78th percentile) puts it among the places where the national carrier-pullback trend is most relevant — not a guarantee of a coverage problem, but a reason to shop rather than assume.
What would actually reduce this score
Because Direct exposure dominates in Myrtle (56.3%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Myrtle's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 284 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Myrtle. The exposure-zones guide covers what Myrtle's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.