Benewah County, ID
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Benewah County has experienced 16 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Straight-Line Winds in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Benewah County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, wildfire, and avalanche, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Benewah County has been designated in 16 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (7), flood (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Straight-Line Winds | Straight-Line Winds |
| 2026 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2021 | Severe Storm | Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm And Straight-Line Wind |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
| 1997 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Snowmelt, Land/Mud Slides, Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 16 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 | Relatively Low | 74.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 46.9 | 6 | 0 | $1.2M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 26.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 27 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 5.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 6 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 7.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 37.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 40.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 31.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 3.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 14.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 93.9 | 1 | 0 | $1K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 48.2 | — | — | — |
| 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
Benewah County ranks in the 67th 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 | 67th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 81st | High |
| Household characteristics | 70th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 46th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 36th | 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 | 71st | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 77th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 71.0% | — |
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 Benewah County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Benewah County, Idaho are landslide, wildfire, and avalanche. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Benewah County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Benewah County has received 16 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (7 declarations).
Has Benewah County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Benewah County include Straight-Line Winds (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Benewah County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Spokane County, WA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Latah County, ID has the lowest (Very Low). Benewah County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Benewah County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Benewah 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. Benewah County's composite score of 20 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 20% of US counties.