Norwich, VT
How exposed is Norwich to wildfire?
Norwich sits at the 16th 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 465 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Norwich's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 16th percentile nationally.
Norwich's building exposure, zone by zone
72.9% of Norwich's 465 buildings sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone, roughly 339 structures close enough to burnable vegetation for flame contact, not just embers — 27.1% fall in the Indirect, ember-only zone and 0% are Minimal.
Where Norwich ranks
Norwich's 49th-percentile standing inside Vermont outpaces its 16th 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, Norwich ranks 26,647 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 17,984 by building count (1 is largest). Within Vermont alone, it ranks 91 of 179 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Vermont on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
Norwich's low rating (16th percentile nationally) sits outside the range where wildfire risk alone reshapes an insurance market — still, a homeowner here loses nothing by comparing rates.
Lowering exposure, not just insuring around it
Norwich's 72.9% Direct-exposure share means lot clearing around the structure typically outweighs any single material upgrade here. The home-hardening guide ranks the options for a place shaped like this.
Where Norwich's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 465 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Norwich. The exposure-zones guide covers what Norwich's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.