Sheridan, MT
Sheridan wildfire risk explained
USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model puts Sheridan at the 70th national percentile for risk to structures, well above the national norm for wildfire risk — a score built from 637 actual buildings. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Sheridan's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 71st percentile nationally.
Sheridan's building exposure, zone by zone
637 buildings are counted in Sheridan, and 69.2% of them are Indirect exposure — ember-driven risk rather than the 30.8% in Direct exposure or the 0% rated Minimal.
How Sheridan compares
Sheridan's 70th national percentile looks worse in isolation than its 39th ranking inside Montana does — this place is on the milder end for its own state, by 31 points. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Sheridan ranks 9,457 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 15,382 by building count (1 is largest). Within Montana alone, it ranks 292 of 475 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Montana on its state page.
Sheridan and the insurance market
At the 70th percentile nationally, Sheridan 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.
Lowering exposure, not just insuring around it
Sheridan's 69.2% Indirect-exposure share points at embers, not flame contact, as the main pathway — ember-resistant vents and non-combustible roofing rank ahead of defensible space here. Detail in the home-hardening guide.
More on how this number was built
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 637 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Sheridan. For more on what indirect exposure implies beyond Sheridan, see the exposure-zones guide.