West Jefferson, NC
West Jefferson, NC's wildfire risk, in USFS's own numbers
West Jefferson sits at the 62nd percentile nationally for wildfire risk to structures — well above the national norm for wildfire risk — per USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model, built from its 971 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, West Jefferson's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 64th percentile nationally.
West Jefferson's building exposure, zone by zone
971 buildings are counted in West Jefferson, and 60.9% 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 Jefferson compares
West Jefferson scores 62nd nationally and 60th within North Carolina — 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 Jefferson ranks 11,923 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 12,144 by building count (1 is largest). Within North Carolina alone, it ranks 306 of 772 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for North Carolina on its state page.
West Jefferson and the insurance market
At the 62nd percentile nationally, West Jefferson carries the 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.
What would actually reduce this score
With 60.9% of West Jefferson 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.
More on how this number was built
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 971 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for West Jefferson. For more on what direct exposure implies beyond West Jefferson, see the exposure-zones guide.