Zihlman, MD
How exposed is Zihlman to wildfire?
USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities model puts Zihlman at the 52nd national percentile for risk to structures, modestly above the national average for wildfire risk — a score built from 239 actual buildings. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks Zihlman at the 50th national percentile — 2 points below its risk-to-structures score, a gap driven by how much is actually built there.
Zihlman's building exposure, zone by zone
94.6% of Zihlman's 239 buildings sit in USFS's Direct exposure zone, roughly 226 structures close enough to burnable vegetation for flame contact, not just embers — 5.4% fall in the Indirect, ember-only zone and 0% are Minimal.
How Zihlman compares
Zihlman's 71st-percentile standing inside Maryland outpaces its 52nd 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, Zihlman ranks 15,249 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 23,495 by building count (1 is largest). Within Maryland alone, it ranks 152 of 527 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for Maryland on its state page.
Zihlman and the insurance market
Zihlman's elevated rating (52nd percentile nationally) sits outside the range where wildfire risk alone reshapes an insurance market — still, a homeowner here loses nothing by comparing rates.
What would actually reduce this score
Because Direct exposure dominates in Zihlman (94.6%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Zihlman's figures come from
The methodology guide shows exactly how USFS turned 239 counted buildings into the percentiles shown above for Zihlman. The exposure-zones guide covers what Zihlman's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.