White Mesa, UT
White Mesa wildfire risk explained
White Mesa's 133 buildings earn a 62nd-percentile wildfire-risk score nationally under USFS's model — well above the national norm for wildfire risk. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, White Mesa's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 58th percentile nationally.
Where White Mesa's buildings actually sit
133 buildings are counted in White Mesa, and 98.5% 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.
Where White Mesa ranks
White Mesa's 62nd national percentile looks worse in isolation than its 19th ranking inside Utah does — this place is on the milder end for its own state, by 43 points. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, White Mesa ranks 12,057 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 27,598 by building count (1 is largest). Within Utah alone, it ranks 265 of 326 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Utah on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
At the 62nd percentile nationally, White Mesa 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.
Hardening a home in White Mesa
Because Direct exposure dominates in White Mesa (98.5%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where White Mesa's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 133 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for White Mesa. The exposure-zones guide covers what White Mesa's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.