Wilder, MN
Wilder wildfire risk explained
Wilder sits at the 45th percentile nationally for wildfire risk to structures — modestly above the national average for wildfire risk — per USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model, built from its 72 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
USFS's separate burn-probability score — fire likelihood alone, before counting what's built there — puts Wilder at the 39th percentile, close to its 45th-percentile risk score.
What "at risk" means for the buildings here
61.1% of Wilder's 72 buildings sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone, roughly 44 structures close enough to burnable vegetation for flame contact, not just embers — 0% fall in the Indirect, ember-only zone and 38.9% are Minimal.
Where Wilder ranks
Wilder's 64th-percentile standing inside Minnesota outpaces its 45th national percentile — this is a hotter spot than most of its own state, even though the state as a whole runs cooler nationally. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Wilder ranks 17,483 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 30,207 by building count (1 is largest). Within Minnesota alone, it ranks 334 of 914 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Minnesota on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
Wilder's elevated wildfire rating (45th percentile) isn't the kind of score driving the carrier pullback making news in the highest-risk Western markets — but a standard homeowners quote is still worth comparing on its own terms.
What would actually reduce this score
Because Direct exposure dominates in Wilder (61.1%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Wilder's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 72 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Wilder. The exposure-zones guide covers what Wilder's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.