Ratcliff, AR
How exposed is Ratcliff to wildfire?
USFS scores Ratcliff at the 82nd national percentile for wildfire risk to structures (in USFS's highest wildfire-risk band nationally), a figure built from 180 real buildings rather than raw vegetation cover. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Ratcliff's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 86th percentile nationally.
Where Ratcliff's buildings actually sit
93.3% of Ratcliff's 180 buildings sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone, roughly 168 structures close enough to burnable vegetation for flame contact, not just embers — 4.4% fall in the Indirect, ember-only zone and 2.2% are Minimal.
How Ratcliff compares
Ratcliff's risk sits at a similar level relative to Arkansas (86th percentile statewide) as it does nationally (82nd) — this place isn't unusual for its own state either way. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Ratcliff ranks 5,761 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 25,611 by building count (1 is largest). Within Arkansas alone, it ranks 86 of 614 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Arkansas on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
At the 82nd percentile nationally, Ratcliff carries the very 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 Ratcliff (93.3%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Ratcliff's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 180 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Ratcliff. The exposure-zones guide covers what Ratcliff's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.