Bethel Census Area, AK
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Bethel Census Area has experienced 45 federally declared disasters since 1989, most recently Severe Storms, Flooding, And Remnants Of Typhoon Halong in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Bethel Census Area's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, winter weather, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (94th 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. Bethel Census Area has been designated in 45 declarations since 1989, covering 6 disaster types including flood (21), biological (11), severe storm (10).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Remnants Of Typhoon Halong |
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Remnants Of Typhoon Halong |
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Remnants Of Typhoon Halong |
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Remnants Of Typhoon Halong |
| 2023 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2023 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2023 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2023 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2023 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Flooding, And Landslides |
Showing the 10 most recent of 45 total declarations since 1989.
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 | 83.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 9.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 49.4 | 8 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Insufficient Data | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 1.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 0.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 89.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 4.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 94.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 27.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 37.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | 74.7 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Very Low | 16.9 | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 42 | — | — | — |
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
Bethel Census Area ranks in the 94th 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 | 94th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 90th | High |
| Household characteristics | 64th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 99th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 98th | 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 | 83rd | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 81st | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 53.3% | — |
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 Bethel Census Area?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Bethel Census Area, Alaska are cold wave, winter weather, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Bethel Census Area received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Bethel Census Area has received 45 federal disaster declarations since 1989, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is flood (21 declarations).
Has Bethel Census Area had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Bethel Census Area include Severe Storms, Flooding, And Remnants Of Typhoon Halong (2026), Severe Storms, Flooding, And Remnants Of Typhoon Halong (2026), Severe Storms, Flooding, And Remnants Of Typhoon Halong (2026), Severe Storms, Flooding, And Remnants Of Typhoon Halong (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1989.
How does Bethel Census Area's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Bristol Bay Borough, AK has the lowest (Very Low). Bethel Census Area is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Bethel Census Area's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Bethel Census Area'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. Bethel Census Area's composite score of 44 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 44% of US counties.