West Burke, VT
West Burke wildfire risk explained
Out of every US place USFS scores, West Burke lands at the 12th percentile for wildfire risk to structures — among the lower wildfire-risk places nationally — a figure built from its 184 buildings, not the land around them. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, West Burke's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 13th percentile nationally.
Where West Burke's buildings actually sit
184 buildings are counted in West Burke, and 52.7% of them sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone — flame contact, not just ember cast, is the live possibility for most of them, against 0% rated Minimal.
How West Burke compares
There's little gap between West Burke's 12th national percentile and its 14th percentile inside Vermont, which means the state comparison mostly confirms what the national score already shows. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, West Burke ranks 27,655 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 25,485 by building count (1 is largest). Within Vermont alone, it ranks 157 of 179 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Vermont on its state page.
West Burke and the insurance market
West Burke's low rating (12th 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 West Burke
Because Direct exposure dominates in West Burke (52.7%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where West Burke's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 184 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for West Burke. The exposure-zones guide covers what West Burke's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.