West Milford, WV
West Milford wildfire risk explained
Out of every US place USFS scores, West Milford lands at the 42nd percentile for wildfire risk to structures — modestly above the national average for wildfire risk — a figure built from its 353 buildings, not the land around them. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks West Milford at the 44th national percentile — 2 points above its risk-to-structures score, a gap driven by how much is actually built there.
West Milford's building exposure, zone by zone
USFS puts 64.3% of West Milford's 353 buildings in the Indirect exposure zone, versus 35.7% Direct and 0% Minimal — a place where the fire doesn't need to reach the structure directly for embers to.
West Milford against the rest of the country
West Milford ranks lower within West Virginia (20th percentile statewide) than its 42nd national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, West Milford ranks 18,265 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 20,254 by building count (1 is largest). Within West Virginia alone, it ranks 344 of 429 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for West Virginia on its state page.
West Milford and the insurance market
At the 42nd national percentile, West Milford rates elevated for wildfire risk — well short of the threshold where insurers have been withdrawing coverage, though comparing a quote costs nothing either way.
What would actually reduce this score
With ember exposure the dominant pattern in West Milford (64.3% Indirect), vent screens and roofing material tend to matter more than lot clearing alone. The home-hardening guide covers both.
Where West Milford's figures come from
West Milford's 42nd-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 Milford's dominant indirect exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.