Sheffield, VT
Sheffield wildfire risk explained
USFS scores Sheffield at the 13th national percentile for wildfire risk to structures (among the lower wildfire-risk places nationally), a figure built from 133 real buildings rather than raw vegetation cover. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Sheffield's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 13th percentile nationally.
Where Sheffield's buildings actually sit
USFS classifies 99.3% of Sheffield's buildings as Direct exposure, higher than its 0.8% Indirect share and far above its 0% Minimal share — a profile where 132 structures sit close enough to vegetation that lot clearing matters most.
Where Sheffield ranks
Sheffield's risk sits at a similar level relative to Vermont (20th percentile statewide) as it does nationally (13th) — this place isn't unusual for its own state either way. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Sheffield ranks 27,496 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 27,599 by building count (1 is largest). Within Vermont alone, it ranks 145 of 179 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Vermont on its state page.
Shopping for coverage in Sheffield
Sheffield's low wildfire rating (13th percentile) isn't the kind of score driving the carrier pullback making news in the highest-risk Western markets — but a standard homeowners quote is still worth comparing on its own terms.
Lowering exposure, not just insuring around it
Because Direct exposure dominates in Sheffield (99.3%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Sheffield's figures come from
Sheffield's 13th-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 Sheffield's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.