Napoleon, MI
Napoleon wildfire risk explained
Napoleon sits at the 17th percentile nationally for wildfire risk to structures — among the lower wildfire-risk places nationally — per USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model, built from its 840 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Napoleon's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 18th percentile nationally.
Where Napoleon's buildings actually sit
Most of Napoleon's buildings (61.8%) sit in the Indirect zone, where wind-blown embers rather than flame front are the mechanism USFS is scoring — ember-resistant vents and non-combustible roofing are the interventions this pattern favors, more than defensible space alone.
Napoleon against the rest of the country
Within Michigan, Napoleon ranks higher (59th percentile) than it does nationally (17th) — one of the more fire-exposed places in a state that, overall, scores lower than that. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Napoleon ranks 26,097 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 13,253 by building count (1 is largest). Within Michigan alone, it ranks 310 of 745 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Michigan on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
Napoleon's low rating (17th percentile nationally) sits outside the range where wildfire risk alone reshapes an insurance market — still, a homeowner here loses nothing by comparing rates.
What would actually reduce this score
With ember exposure the dominant pattern in Napoleon (61.8% Indirect), vent screens and roofing material tend to matter more than lot clearing alone. The home-hardening guide covers both.
Where Napoleon's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 840 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Napoleon. The exposure-zones guide covers what Napoleon's dominant indirect exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.