Barron County, WI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Barron County has experienced 10 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Barron County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, hail, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 18% 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. Barron County has been designated in 10 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including biological (2), flood (2), severe storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
| 2001 | Flood | Flooding, Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| 2000 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 1978 | Severe Storm | Winds, Hail & Rain |
| 1976 | Drought | Drought |
| 1965 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Severe Storms & 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 | Very Low | 17.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 59.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 7.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 76.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 75 | 5 | 1 | $10.2M |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 88.8 | 26 | 0 | $550K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 82.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 55.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 44.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 94.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 67 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 20.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 17.1 | 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
Barron County ranks in the 40th 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 | 40th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 37th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 62nd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 22nd | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 42nd | 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 | 12th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 12th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 58.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 31 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 17 in 2016–20 vs 14 in 2021–25 (-18% — frequency decreasing).
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 Barron County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Barron County, Wisconsin are cold wave, hail, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Barron County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Barron County has received 10 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Barron County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Barron County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Barron County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Chippewa County, WI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Washburn County, WI has the lowest (Very Low). Barron County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Barron County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Barron 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. Barron County's composite score of 69 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 69% of US counties.