Blaine County, MT
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Blaine County has experienced 13 federally declared disasters since 1987, most recently Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Blaine County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, winter weather, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 129% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. 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. Blaine County has been designated in 13 declarations since 1987, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (4), flood (4), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Straight-Line Winds | Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| 2023 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Showing the 10 most recent of 13 total declarations since 1987.
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 | 69.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 46.5 | 11 | 0 | $2.1M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 13.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 20.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 6.7 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 28.2 | 33 | 0 | $1.0M |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 9.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 81.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 8.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 90 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 80.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 35.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 44.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 10.7 | — | — | — |
| 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
Blaine County 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 | 91st | High |
| Household characteristics | 87th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 90th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 90th | 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 | 71st | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 73rd | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 66.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 46 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 14 in 2016–20 vs 32 in 2021–25 (+129% — 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 Blaine County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Blaine County, Montana are cold wave, winter weather, and lightning. 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 13 federal disaster declarations since 1987, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (4 declarations).
Has Blaine County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Blaine County include Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (2026), Severe Winter Storm And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1987.
How does Blaine County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Hill County, MT has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Petroleum County, MT 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 46 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 46% of US counties.