Blaine County, ID
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Blaine County has experienced 10 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Ross Fork Fire in 2022. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Blaine County's highest-rated hazards are avalanche, wildfire, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 75% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Blaine County has been designated in 10 declarations since 1965, covering 5 disaster types including fire (4), biological (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Fire | Ross Fork Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Flood | Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2013 | Fire | Beaver Creek Fire |
| 2007 | Fire | Castle Rock Fire |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
| 2000 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 1977 | Drought | Drought |
| 1965 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
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 | 93.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 70.5 | 16 | 1 | $17.9M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 73.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 64.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 7.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 5.8 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 21.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 93.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 9.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 44.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 53.9 | 1 | 0 | $1K |
| Drought | Very Low | 15.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 86.3 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very High | 96.9 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 56.7 | — | — | — |
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
Blaine County ranks in the 40th percentile (Low) 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 | 40th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 25th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 65th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 65th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 39th | 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 | 90th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 90th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 49.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 20 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 16 in 2016–20 vs 4 in 2021–25 (-75% — frequency decreasing).
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 Blaine County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Blaine County, Idaho are avalanche, wildfire, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Blaine County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Blaine County has received 10 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2022. The most common disaster type on record is fire (4 declarations).
Has Blaine County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Blaine County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Ross Fork Fire in 2022.
How does Blaine County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Gooding County, ID has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Butte County, ID has the lowest (Very Low). Blaine County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Blaine County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Blaine 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. Blaine County's composite score of 65 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 65% of US counties.