Waterford, NY
Waterford wildfire risk explained
USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model puts Waterford at the 15th national percentile for risk to structures, among the lower wildfire-risk places nationally — a score built from 708 actual buildings. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Waterford's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 14th percentile nationally.
Where Waterford's buildings actually sit
Indirect exposure is dominant in Waterford (96.8% of 708 buildings): far enough from burnable vegetation to avoid flame contact, close enough for wind-blown embers. Only 2.1% sit in the Direct zone.
Where Waterford ranks
Waterford's 34th-percentile standing inside New York outpaces its 15th national percentile — this is a hotter spot than most of its own state, even though the state as a whole runs cooler nationally. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Waterford ranks 26,920 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 14,578 by building count (1 is largest). Within New York alone, it ranks 846 of 1,289 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for New York on its state page.
Waterford and the insurance market
At the 15th national percentile, Waterford rates low for wildfire risk — well short of the threshold where insurers have been withdrawing coverage, though comparing a quote costs nothing either way.
Lowering exposure, not just insuring around it
Because 96.8% of Waterford's buildings sit in the Indirect zone, sealing the ember pathway (vents, roofing, gutters) is the intervention this page's data actually supports — see the home-hardening guide.
Where Waterford's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 708 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Waterford. The exposure-zones guide covers what Waterford's dominant indirect exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.