Underwood, ND
Underwood, ND's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model puts Underwood at the 34th national percentile for risk to structures, close to the middle of USFS's national wildfire-risk range — a score built from 658 actual buildings. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Underwood's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 32nd percentile nationally.
What "at risk" means for the buildings here
Indirect exposure is dominant in Underwood (78.6% of 658 buildings): far enough from burnable vegetation to avoid flame contact, close enough for wind-blown embers. Only 21.4% sit in the Direct zone.
Where Underwood ranks
Underwood's 34th national percentile looks worse in isolation than its 16th ranking inside North Dakota does — this place is on the milder end for its own state, by 18 points. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Underwood ranks 20,683 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 15,090 by building count (1 is largest). Within North Dakota alone, it ranks 339 of 402 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for North Dakota on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
Underwood's moderate rating (34th 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 Underwood
With ember exposure the dominant pattern in Underwood (78.6% Indirect), vent screens and roofing material tend to matter more than lot clearing alone. The home-hardening guide covers both.
Where Underwood's figures come from
Underwood's 34th-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 Underwood's dominant indirect exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.