Pearl River, MS
Pearl River wildfire risk explained
USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model puts Pearl River at the 66th national percentile for risk to structures, well above the national norm for wildfire risk — a score built from 1,548 actual buildings. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Pearl River's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 69th percentile nationally.
Pearl River's building exposure, zone by zone
USFS classifies 86.1% of Pearl River's buildings as Direct exposure, higher than its 13.9% Indirect share and far above its 0% Minimal share — a profile where 1,333 structures sit close enough to vegetation that lot clearing matters most.
Where Pearl River ranks
Pearl River's 66th national percentile looks worse in isolation than its 46th ranking inside Mississippi does — this place is on the milder end for its own state, by 20 points. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Pearl River ranks 10,652 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 8,960 by building count (1 is largest). Within Mississippi alone, it ranks 226 of 420 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Mississippi on its state page.
Shopping for coverage in Pearl River
At the 66th percentile nationally, Pearl River carries the 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
Because Direct exposure dominates in Pearl River (86.1%), 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 1,548 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Pearl River. For more on what direct exposure implies beyond Pearl River, see the exposure-zones guide.