Archuleta County, CO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Archuleta County has experienced 8 federally declared disasters since 1970, most recently Oak Fire in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Archuleta County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, landslide, and avalanche, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Archuleta County has been designated in 8 declarations since 1970, covering 5 disaster types including fire (2), biological (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Fire | Oak Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 1977 | Drought | Drought |
| 1973 | Flood | Flooding & Landslides |
| 1970 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
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 Moderate | 94.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 51.7 | 8 | 0 | $47K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 46.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 3.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 9.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 3.3 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 4.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 66.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 11.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 2.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 60.6 | 2 | 0 | $20K |
| Drought | Very Low | 30.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 90.9 | 6 | 0 | $12K |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | 77.8 | — | — | — |
| 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
Archuleta County ranks in the 35th 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 | 35th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 52nd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 15th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 60th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 23rd | Very low |
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 | 87th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 91st | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 88.0% | — |
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 Archuleta County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Archuleta County, Colorado are wildfire, landslide, and avalanche. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Archuleta County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Archuleta County has received 8 federal disaster declarations since 1970, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is fire (2 declarations).
Has Archuleta County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Archuleta County include Oak Fire (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1970.
How does Archuleta County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Rio Arriba County, NM has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Hinsdale County, CO has the lowest (Very Low). Archuleta County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Archuleta County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Archuleta 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. Archuleta County's composite score of 35 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 35% of US counties.