Beaverhead County, MT
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Beaverhead County has experienced 6 federally declared disasters since 2000, most recently Sand Creek Fire in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Beaverhead County's highest-rated hazards are avalanche, landslide, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (20th 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. Beaverhead County has been designated in 6 declarations since 2000, covering 3 disaster types including fire (3), biological (2), hurricane (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fire | Sand Creek Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2000 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2000 | Fire | Mt - Central Zone 3c Fire Complex |
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 | 84.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 36.3 | 2 | 0 | $200K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 85.7 | 79 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 6.8 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 12.5 | 10 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 6.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 86.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 9.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 70 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 64 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 39.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 92.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively High | 93.6 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 11.7 | — | — | — |
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
Beaverhead County ranks in the 20th percentile (Very 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 | 20th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 31st | Low |
| Household characteristics | 4th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 32nd | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 43rd | 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 | 72nd | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 76th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 66.0% | — |
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 Beaverhead County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Beaverhead County, Montana are avalanche, landslide, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Beaverhead County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Beaverhead County has received 6 federal disaster declarations since 2000, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is fire (3 declarations).
Has Beaverhead County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Beaverhead County include Sand Creek Fire (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 2000.
How does Beaverhead County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Lemhi County, ID has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Clark County, ID has the lowest (Very Low). Beaverhead County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Beaverhead County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Beaverhead 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. Beaverhead County's composite score of 43 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 43% of US counties.