Waikapu, HI
Waikapu, HI's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
USFS scores Waikapu at the 96th national percentile for wildfire risk to structures (in USFS's highest wildfire-risk band nationally), a figure built from 1,057 real buildings rather than raw vegetation cover. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
USFS's separate burn-probability score — fire likelihood alone, before counting what's built there — puts Waikapu at the 94th percentile, close to its 96th-percentile risk score.
Waikapu's building exposure, zone by zone
1,057 buildings are counted in Waikapu, and 67.9% of them are Indirect exposure — ember-driven risk rather than the 32.1% in Direct exposure or the 0% rated Minimal.
Waikapu against the rest of the country
Waikapu ranks lower within Hawaii (80th percentile statewide) than its 96th national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Waikapu ranks 1,356 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 11,545 by building count (1 is largest). Within Hawaii alone, it ranks 34 of 163 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Hawaii on its state page.
Waikapu and the insurance market
At the 96th percentile nationally, Waikapu 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
Waikapu's 67.9% Indirect-exposure share points at embers, not flame contact, as the main pathway — ember-resistant vents and non-combustible roofing rank ahead of defensible space here. Detail in the home-hardening guide.
More on how this number was built
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 1,057 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Waikapu. For more on what indirect exposure implies beyond Waikapu, see the exposure-zones guide.