Benton County, WA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Benton County has experienced 20 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Benton County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, heat wave, and earthquake, 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. Benton County has been designated in 20 declarations since 1965, covering 8 disaster types including flood (9), fire (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides |
| 2016 | Fire | South Ward Gap Fire |
| 2009 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, And Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Record And Near Record Snow |
| 2009 | Fire | Dry Creek Fire Complex |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001 | Earthquake | Earthquake |
Showing the 10 most recent of 20 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 Moderate | 96.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 89.7 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 93.1 | 9 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 94.4 | 9 | 6 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 19.6 | 2 | 0 | $20K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 52.3 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 46.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 92 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 89.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 82.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 63 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 28.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 77.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 33.8 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 81.1 | — | — | — |
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
Benton County ranks in the 64th 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 | 64th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 42nd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 84th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 70th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 62nd | Moderate |
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 | 95th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 94th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 24.3% | — |
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 Benton County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Benton County, Washington are wildfire, heat wave, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Benton County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Benton County has received 20 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is flood (9 declarations).
Has Benton County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Benton County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Benton County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Yakima County, WA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Morrow County, OR has the lowest (Very Low). Benton County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Benton County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Benton 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. Benton County's composite score of 87 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 87% of US counties.