Ascension Parish, LA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Ascension Parish has experienced 66 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Ascension Parish's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, tornado, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 150% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Ascension Parish has been designated in 66 declarations since 1965, covering 10 disaster types including hurricane (33), flood (16), coastal storm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Francine |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Francine |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Zeta |
| 2021 | Coastal Storm | Tropical Storm Nicholas |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Ida |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2021 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta |
Showing the 10 most recent of 66 total declarations since 1965.
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 | Very Low | 26.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 77.8 | 18 | 0 | $1.5B |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 79.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 58.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 91.2 | 28 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 95.3 | 10 | 0 | $377K |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 98 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 76.2 | 15 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 53.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 28.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 71.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 82.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 89.4 | 1 | 0 | $2K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 81.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 22 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Ascension Parish ranks in the 38th 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 | 38th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 23rd | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 67th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 71st | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 33rd | 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 | 13th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 12th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 42.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 70 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 20 in 2016–20 vs 50 in 2021–25 (+150% — frequency increasing).
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 Ascension Parish?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Ascension Parish, Louisiana are hurricane, tornado, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Ascension Parish received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Ascension Parish has received 66 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (33 declarations).
Has Ascension Parish had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Ascension Parish include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Francine (2024), Hurricane Francine (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Ascension Parish's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, East Baton Rouge Parish, LA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Assumption Parish, LA has the lowest (Relatively Low). Ascension Parish is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Ascension Parish's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Ascension Parish'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. Ascension Parish's composite score of 92 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 92% of US counties.