Thornton, AR
Thornton wildfire risk explained
Thornton sits at the 52nd percentile nationally for wildfire risk to structures — modestly above the national average for wildfire risk — per USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model, built from its 271 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks Thornton at the 53rd national percentile — 1 points above its risk-to-structures score, a gap driven by how much is actually built there.
Thornton's building exposure, zone by zone
50.2% of Thornton's 271 buildings sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone, roughly 136 structures close enough to burnable vegetation for flame contact, not just embers — 49.8% fall in the Indirect, ember-only zone and 0% are Minimal.
Where Thornton ranks
Thornton ranks lower within Arkansas (27th percentile statewide) than its 52nd national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Thornton ranks 15,055 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 22,456 by building count (1 is largest). Within Arkansas alone, it ranks 446 of 614 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Arkansas on its state page.
Thornton and the insurance market
Thornton's elevated rating (52nd percentile nationally) sits outside the range where wildfire risk alone reshapes an insurance market — still, a homeowner here loses nothing by comparing rates.
Hardening a home in Thornton
Thornton's 50.2% Direct-exposure share means lot clearing around the structure typically outweighs any single material upgrade here. The home-hardening guide ranks the options for a place shaped like this.
Where Thornton's figures come from
Thornton's 52nd-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 Thornton's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.