Pelion, SC
Pelion, SC's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
USFS scores Pelion at the 65th national percentile for wildfire risk to structures (well above the national norm for wildfire risk), a figure built from 468 real buildings rather than raw vegetation cover. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Pelion's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 63rd percentile nationally.
Pelion's building exposure, zone by zone
Direct exposure dominates in Pelion: 63.9% of its 468 buildings, versus 36.1% Indirect and 0% Minimal. Clearing space around a structure changes the outcome here more than any single building-material swap.
Pelion against the rest of the country
Pelion's 65th national percentile looks worse in isolation than its 36th ranking inside South Carolina does — this place is on the milder end for its own state, by 29 points. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Pelion ranks 11,014 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 17,927 by building count (1 is largest). Within South Carolina alone, it ranks 304 of 474 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for South Carolina on its state page.
Pelion and the insurance market
At the 65th percentile nationally, Pelion 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 Pelion (63.9%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Pelion's figures come from
Pelion's 65th-percentile score and its burn-probability figure both come from the same USFS workbook, documented in the methodology guide. The exposure-zones guide covers what Pelion's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.