Virginia City, MT
How exposed is Virginia City to wildfire?
Virginia City sits at the 84th percentile nationally for wildfire risk to structures — in USFS's highest wildfire-risk band nationally — per USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model, built from its 303 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Virginia City's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 79th percentile nationally.
What "at risk" means for the buildings here
52.8% of Virginia City's 303 buildings sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone, roughly 160 structures close enough to burnable vegetation for flame contact, not just embers — 47.2% fall in the Indirect, ember-only zone and 0% are Minimal.
Where Virginia City ranks
Virginia City ranks lower within Montana (61st percentile statewide) than its 84th national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Virginia City ranks 5,079 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 21,543 by building count (1 is largest). Within Montana alone, it ranks 185 of 475 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Montana on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
At the 84th percentile nationally, Virginia City 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.
Lowering exposure, not just insuring around it
With 52.8% of Virginia City 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 Virginia City's figures come from
Virginia City's 84th-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 Virginia City's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.