Albany County, WY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Albany County has experienced 10 federally declared disasters since 2002, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Albany County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, landslide, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 70 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (25th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Albany County has been designated in 10 declarations since 2002, covering 4 disaster types including fire (6), biological (2), flood (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Fire | Mullen Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Fire | Badger Creek Fire |
| 2015 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2012 | Fire | Squirrel Creek Fire |
| 2012 | Fire | Arapahoe Fire |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides |
| 2002 | Fire | Wy-Hensel Fire-06/07/02 |
| 2002 | Fire | Wy - Reese Mountain Fire - 07/01/02 |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 84.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 44.1 | 16 | 0 | $91K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 61.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 36.7 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 48.3 | 44 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 21.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 90.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 50.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 86.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 83 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 88.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively Moderate | 83.8 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Albany County ranks in the 25th percentile (Low) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 25th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 57th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 0th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 51st | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 59th | Moderate |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 81st | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 83rd | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 44.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 70 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 34 in 2016–20 vs 36 in 2021–25 (+6% — relatively stable).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Albany County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Albany County, Wyoming are winter weather, landslide, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Albany County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Albany County has received 10 federal disaster declarations since 2002, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is fire (6 declarations).
Has Albany County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Albany County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Albany County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Larimer County, CO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Jackson County, CO has the lowest (Very Low). Albany County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Albany County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Albany County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Albany County's composite score of 49 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 49% of US counties.