Nibbe, MT
Nibbe wildfire risk explained
Nibbe sits at the 83rd percentile nationally for wildfire risk to structures — in USFS's highest wildfire-risk band nationally — per USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model, built from its 45 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks Nibbe at the 84th national percentile — 1 points above its risk-to-structures score, a gap driven by how much is actually built there.
Where Nibbe's buildings actually sit
45 buildings are counted in Nibbe, and 68.9% of them sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone — flame contact, not just ember cast, is the live possibility for most of them, against 0% rated Minimal.
How Nibbe compares
Nibbe ranks lower within Montana (57th percentile statewide) than its 83rd national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Nibbe ranks 5,360 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 31,047 by building count (1 is largest). Within Montana alone, it ranks 204 of 475 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Montana on its state page.
Nibbe and the insurance market
At the 83rd percentile nationally, Nibbe carries the very 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
With 68.9% of Nibbe in Direct exposure, defensible-space clearing and ember-resistant construction (vents, Class-A roofing) address the exposure this page's own numbers describe, not a generic checklist. See the home-hardening guide.
Where Nibbe's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 45 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Nibbe. The exposure-zones guide covers what Nibbe's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.