Russell, KY
Russell wildfire risk explained
Out of every US place USFS scores, Russell lands at the 52nd percentile for wildfire risk to structures — modestly above the national average for wildfire risk — a figure built from its 1,841 buildings, not the land around them. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Russell's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 54th percentile nationally.
What "at risk" means for the buildings here
Most of Russell's buildings (36.8%) sit in the Indirect zone, where wind-blown embers rather than flame front are the mechanism USFS is scoring — ember-resistant vents and non-combustible roofing are the interventions this pattern favors, more than defensible space alone.
Russell against the rest of the country
Within Kentucky, Russell ranks higher (79th percentile) than it does nationally (52nd) — one of the more fire-exposed places in a state that, overall, scores lower than that. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Russell ranks 15,126 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 7,948 by building count (1 is largest). Within Kentucky alone, it ranks 120 of 552 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Kentucky on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
Russell's elevated rating (52nd percentile nationally) sits outside the range where wildfire risk alone reshapes an insurance market — still, a homeowner here loses nothing by comparing rates.
What would actually reduce this score
With ember exposure the dominant pattern in Russell (36.8% Indirect), vent screens and roofing material tend to matter more than lot clearing alone. The home-hardening guide covers both.
Where Russell's figures come from
Russell's 52nd-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 Russell's dominant indirect exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.