West Carthage, NY
West Carthage, NY's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
Out of every US place USFS scores, West Carthage lands at the 8th percentile for wildfire risk to structures — among the lower wildfire-risk places nationally — a figure built from its 778 buildings, not the land around them. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks West Carthage at the 8th national percentile — 0 points above its risk-to-structures score, a gap driven by how much is actually built there.
Where West Carthage's buildings actually sit
Indirect exposure is dominant in West Carthage (70.7% of 778 buildings): far enough from burnable vegetation to avoid flame contact, close enough for wind-blown embers. Only 29.1% sit in the Direct zone.
Where West Carthage ranks
West Carthage scores 8th nationally and 15th within New York — close enough that its state context doesn't change the picture the national number already gives. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, West Carthage ranks 29,166 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 13,833 by building count (1 is largest). Within New York alone, it ranks 1,102 of 1,289 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for New York on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
West Carthage's low rating (8th percentile nationally) sits outside the range where wildfire risk alone reshapes an insurance market — still, a homeowner here loses nothing by comparing rates.
What would actually reduce this score
With ember exposure the dominant pattern in West Carthage (70.7% Indirect), vent screens and roofing material tend to matter more than lot clearing alone. The home-hardening guide covers both.
Where West Carthage's figures come from
West Carthage's 8th-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 West Carthage's dominant indirect exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.