Nickerson, KS
Nickerson wildfire risk explained
Out of every US place USFS scores, Nickerson lands at the 81st percentile for wildfire risk to structures — in USFS's highest wildfire-risk band nationally — a figure built from its 780 buildings, not the land around them. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Nickerson's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 75th percentile nationally.
Where Nickerson's buildings actually sit
Most of Nickerson's buildings (64.4% of 780) fall outside USFS's Direct and Indirect zones entirely — that doesn't zero out the score above, it means the risk is regional, not structure-by-structure.
Nickerson against the rest of the country
Nickerson scores 81st nationally and 79th within Kansas — close enough that its state context doesn't change the picture the national number already gives. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Nickerson ranks 6,141 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 13,815 by building count (1 is largest). Within Kansas alone, it ranks 150 of 721 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Kansas on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
Nickerson's very high rating (81st 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.
Lowering exposure, not just insuring around it
Even with 64.4% of Nickerson outside USFS's Direct and Indirect zones, basic hardening — gutter maintenance, ember-resistant vents — is inexpensive relative to the regional burn-probability risk noted above. Details in the home-hardening guide.
Where Nickerson's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 780 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Nickerson. The exposure-zones guide covers what Nickerson's dominant minimal exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.