Willis Wharf, VA
Willis Wharf wildfire risk explained
Willis Wharf 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 196 counted buildings, not vegetation cover alone. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks Willis Wharf at the 43rd national percentile — 2 points below its risk-to-structures score, a gap driven by how much is actually built there.
What "at risk" means for the buildings here
USFS classifies 57.1% of Willis Wharf's buildings as Direct exposure, higher than its 2% Indirect share and far above its 40.8% Minimal share — a profile where 112 structures sit close enough to vegetation that lot clearing matters most.
How Willis Wharf compares
There's little gap between Willis Wharf's 45th national percentile and its 45th percentile inside Virginia, which means the state comparison mostly confirms what the national score already shows. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Willis Wharf ranks 17,225 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 25,014 by building count (1 is largest). Within Virginia alone, it ranks 379 of 681 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Virginia on its state page.
Shopping for coverage in Willis Wharf
At the 45th national percentile, Willis Wharf 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
Because Direct exposure dominates in Willis Wharf (57.1%), 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
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 196 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Willis Wharf. For more on what direct exposure implies beyond Willis Wharf, see the exposure-zones guide.