Beltrami County, MN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Beltrami County has experienced 21 federally declared disasters since 1966, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding in 2022. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Beltrami County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, wildfire, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 108 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (76th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Beltrami County has been designated in 21 declarations since 1966, covering 5 disaster types including flood (10), severe storm (7), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2014 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2011 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding And Tornadoes |
| 2001 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
Showing the 10 most recent of 21 total declarations since 1966.
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 | 82.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 72.6 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 6.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 39.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 40.8 | 17 | 0 | $2.3M |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 60.8 | 86 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 52.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 84.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 13.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 80.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 44.8 | 1 | 0 | $20K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 58.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 73.7 | 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
Beltrami County ranks in the 76th percentile (High) 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 | 76th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 58th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 46th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 65th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 96th | High |
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 | 74th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 77th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 81.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 108 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 54 in 2016–20 vs 54 in 2021–25 (0% — 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 Beltrami County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Beltrami County, Minnesota are winter weather, wildfire, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Beltrami County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Beltrami County has received 21 federal disaster declarations since 1966, including declarations in 2022. The most common disaster type on record is flood (10 declarations).
Has Beltrami County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Beltrami County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding in 2022.
How does Beltrami County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Pennington County, MN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Red Lake County, MN has the lowest (Very Low). Beltrami County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Beltrami County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Beltrami 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. Beltrami County's composite score of 61 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 61% of US counties.