Taos Ski Valley, NM
Taos Ski Valley, NM's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model puts Taos Ski Valley at the 97th national percentile for risk to structures, in USFS's highest wildfire-risk band nationally — a score built from 225 actual buildings. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Taos Ski Valley's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 93rd percentile nationally.
Where Taos Ski Valley's buildings actually sit
Direct exposure dominates in Taos Ski Valley: 88% of its 225 buildings, versus 12% Indirect and 0% Minimal. Clearing space around a structure changes the outcome here more than any single building-material swap.
How Taos Ski Valley compares
Taos Ski Valley's risk sits at a similar level relative to New Mexico (89th percentile statewide) as it does nationally (97th) — this place isn't unusual for its own state either way. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Taos Ski Valley ranks 1,103 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 23,953 by building count (1 is largest). Within New Mexico alone, it ranks 57 of 495 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for New Mexico on its state page.
Taos Ski Valley and the insurance market
At the 97th percentile nationally, Taos Ski Valley carries the very 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.
What would actually reduce this score
Because Direct exposure dominates in Taos Ski Valley (88%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Taos Ski Valley's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 225 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Taos Ski Valley. The exposure-zones guide covers what Taos Ski Valley's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.