Bandera County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Bandera County has experienced 17 federally declared disasters since 1978, most recently Flooding in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Bandera County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, lightning, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 76 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Bandera County has been designated in 17 declarations since 1978, covering 7 disaster types including flood (5), fire (3), hurricane (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2008 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2006 | Fire | Extreme Wildfire Threat |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Rita |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Rita |
Showing the 10 most recent of 17 total declarations since 1978.
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 | 86.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 79.3 | 25 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 9.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 40.1 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 65 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 46.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 81 | 50 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 61.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 69.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 10.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 29.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 84.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 68.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 66.5 | 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
Bandera County ranks in the 59th percentile (Moderate) 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 | 59th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 58th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 65th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 62nd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 44th | 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 | 81st | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 83rd | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 89.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 76 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 39 in 2016–20 vs 37 in 2021–25 (-5% — 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 Bandera County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Bandera County, Texas are wildfire, lightning, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Bandera County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Bandera County has received 17 federal disaster declarations since 1978, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is flood (5 declarations).
Has Bandera County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Bandera County include Flooding (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1978.
How does Bandera County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Kerr County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Real County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). Bandera County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Bandera County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Bandera 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. Bandera County's composite score of 67 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 67% of US counties.