South Lakes, AK
How exposed is South Lakes to wildfire?
USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model puts South Lakes at the 40th national percentile for risk to structures, modestly above the national average for wildfire risk — a score built from 2,511 actual buildings. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, South Lakes's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 41st percentile nationally.
What "at risk" means for the buildings here
USFS classifies 91.5% of South Lakes's buildings as Direct exposure, higher than its 3% Indirect share and far above its 5.5% Minimal share — a profile where 2,297 structures sit close enough to vegetation that lot clearing matters most.
How South Lakes compares
South Lakes scores 40th nationally and 32nd within Alaska — close enough that its state context doesn't change the picture the national number already gives. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, South Lakes ranks 18,772 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 6,280 by building count (1 is largest). Within Alaska alone, it ranks 221 of 322 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Alaska on its state page.
Shopping for coverage in South Lakes
At the 40th national percentile, South Lakes rates elevated for wildfire risk — well short of the threshold where insurers have been withdrawing coverage, though comparing a quote costs nothing either way.
Lowering exposure, not just insuring around it
Because Direct exposure dominates in South Lakes (91.5%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
More on how this number was built
South Lakes's 40th-percentile score and its burn-probability figure both come from the same USFS workbook, documented in the methodology guide. For more on what direct exposure implies beyond South Lakes, see the exposure-zones guide.