Nunda, SD
How exposed is Nunda to wildfire?
Nunda's 60 buildings earn a 43rd-percentile wildfire-risk score nationally under USFS's model — modestly above the national average for wildfire risk. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks Nunda at the 37th national percentile — 5 points below its risk-to-structures score, a gap driven by how much is actually built there.
What "at risk" means for the buildings here
58.3% of Nunda's 60 buildings sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone, roughly 35 structures close enough to burnable vegetation for flame contact, not just embers — 0% fall in the Indirect, ember-only zone and 41.7% are Minimal.
Where Nunda ranks
Nunda ranks lower within South Dakota (17th percentile statewide) than its 43rd national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Nunda ranks 18,136 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 30,663 by building count (1 is largest). Within South Dakota alone, it ranks 364 of 439 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for South Dakota on its state page.
Nunda and the insurance market
At the 43rd national percentile, Nunda rates elevated for wildfire risk — well short of the threshold where insurers have been withdrawing coverage, though comparing a quote costs nothing either way.
Lowering exposure, not just insuring around it
Because Direct exposure dominates in Nunda (58.3%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
More on how this number was built
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 60 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Nunda. For more on what direct exposure implies beyond Nunda, see the exposure-zones guide.