White, SD
How exposed is White to wildfire?
USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model puts White at the 43rd national percentile for risk to structures, modestly above the national average for wildfire risk — a score built from 362 actual buildings. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, White's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 41st percentile nationally.
What "at risk" means for the buildings here
53.3% of White's 362 buildings sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone, roughly 193 structures close enough to burnable vegetation for flame contact, not just embers — 0% fall in the Indirect, ember-only zone and 46.7% are Minimal.
How White compares
White ranks lower within South Dakota (18th percentile statewide) than its 43rd national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, White ranks 18,043 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 20,029 by building count (1 is largest). Within South Dakota alone, it ranks 362 of 439 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for South Dakota on its state page.
White and the insurance market
At the 43rd national percentile, White rates elevated for wildfire risk — well short of the threshold where insurers have been withdrawing coverage, though comparing a quote costs nothing either way.
Lowering exposure, not just insuring around it
Because Direct exposure dominates in White (53.3%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
More on how this number was built
White's 43rd-percentile score and its burn-probability figure both come from the same USFS workbook, documented in the methodology guide. For more on what direct exposure implies beyond White, see the exposure-zones guide.