Bienville Parish, LA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Bienville Parish has experienced 35 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Bienville Parish's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, heat wave, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 44% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (98th 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. Bienville Parish has been designated in 35 declarations since 1977, covering 9 disaster types including hurricane (16), flood (4), severe ice storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Francine |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Zeta |
| 2021 | Coastal Storm | Tropical Storm Nicholas |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Ida |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Delta |
Showing the 10 most recent of 35 total declarations since 1977.
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 | Very Low | 21.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 25.1 | 18 | 1 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 42.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 71.3 | 83 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 54.2 | 13 | 0 | $470K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 67.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 41.5 | 20 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 70.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 25.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 95.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 12.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 49 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 43.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 36.8 | 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
Bienville Parish ranks in the 98th 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 | 98th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 89th | High |
| Household characteristics | 96th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 85th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 97th | 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 | 38th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 37th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 82.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 134 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 55 in 2016–20 vs 79 in 2021–25 (+44% — frequency increasing).
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 Bienville Parish?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Bienville Parish, Louisiana are ice storm, heat wave, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Bienville Parish received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Bienville Parish has received 35 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (16 declarations).
Has Bienville Parish had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Bienville Parish include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Francine (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Bienville Parish's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Webster Parish, LA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Red River Parish, LA has the lowest (Very Low). Bienville Parish is rated Very Low overall.
How is Bienville Parish's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Bienville Parish'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. Bienville Parish's composite score of 29 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 29% of US counties.