South Naknek, AK
South Naknek wildfire risk explained
USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model puts South Naknek at the 48th national percentile for risk to structures, modestly above the national average for wildfire risk — a score built from 235 actual buildings. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks South Naknek at the 48th national percentile — 1 points below its risk-to-structures score, a gap driven by how much is actually built there.
South Naknek's building exposure, zone by zone
Direct exposure dominates in South Naknek: 97% of its 235 buildings, versus 1.7% Indirect and 1.3% Minimal. Clearing space around a structure changes the outcome here more than any single building-material swap.
Where South Naknek ranks
South Naknek scores 48th nationally and 39th 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 Naknek ranks 16,313 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 23,618 by building count (1 is largest). Within Alaska alone, it ranks 197 of 322 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Alaska on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
At the 48th national percentile, South Naknek rates elevated for wildfire risk — well short of the threshold where insurers have been withdrawing coverage, though comparing a quote costs nothing either way.
What would actually reduce this score
Because Direct exposure dominates in South Naknek (97%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where South Naknek's figures come from
South Naknek's 48th-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 South Naknek's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.