Vado, NM
How exposed is Vado to wildfire?
USFS scores Vado at the 40th national percentile for wildfire risk to structures (modestly above the national average for wildfire risk), a figure built from 1,223 real buildings rather than raw vegetation cover. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Vado's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 41st percentile nationally.
Where Vado's buildings actually sit
Of Vado's 1,223 counted buildings, 67.5% carry Direct exposure and only 3.3% carry Minimal — a lopsided split that puts defensible-space clearing ahead of vents or roofing as the intervention worth doing first.
How Vado compares
Vado ranks lower within New Mexico (8th percentile statewide) than its 40th national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Vado ranks 18,786 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 10,517 by building count (1 is largest). Within New Mexico alone, it ranks 454 of 495 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for New Mexico on its state page.
Shopping for coverage in Vado
At the 40th national percentile, Vado rates elevated for wildfire risk — well short of the threshold where insurers have been withdrawing coverage, though comparing a quote costs nothing either way.
Hardening a home in Vado
With 67.5% of Vado in Direct exposure, defensible-space clearing and ember-resistant construction (vents, Class-A roofing) address the exposure this page's own numbers describe, not a generic checklist. See the home-hardening guide.
Where Vado's figures come from
Every one of the two percentiles behind Vado's 18,786-place national rank traces to USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities dataset — see the methodology guide. The exposure-zones guide covers what Vado's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.