Whitewater, MO
How exposed is Whitewater to wildfire?
Out of every US place USFS scores, Whitewater lands at the 39th percentile for wildfire risk to structures — close to the middle of USFS's national wildfire-risk range — a figure built from its 92 buildings, not the land around them. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Separately from the risk score above, Whitewater's burn probability — fire likelihood with no building count factored in — sits at the 41st percentile nationally.
Where Whitewater's buildings actually sit
Indirect exposure is dominant in Whitewater (65.2% of 92 buildings): far enough from burnable vegetation to avoid flame contact, close enough for wind-blown embers. Only 34.8% sit in the Direct zone.
Whitewater against the rest of the country
Whitewater ranks lower within Missouri (14th percentile statewide) than its 39th national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Whitewater ranks 19,189 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 29,411 by building count (1 is largest). Within Missouri alone, it ranks 914 of 1,062 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Missouri on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
At the 39th national percentile, Whitewater rates moderate 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
With ember exposure the dominant pattern in Whitewater (65.2% Indirect), vent screens and roofing material tend to matter more than lot clearing alone. The home-hardening guide covers both.
More on how this number was built
Whitewater's 39th-percentile score and its burn-probability figure both come from the same USFS workbook, documented in the methodology guide. For more on what indirect exposure implies beyond Whitewater, see the exposure-zones guide.