Bledsoe County, TN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Bledsoe County has experienced 25 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Bledsoe County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, cold wave, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 21 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (70th 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. Bledsoe County has been designated in 25 declarations since 1973, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (12), flood (4), fire (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornado |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornado |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2017 | Fire | Smith Mountain Fire Complex |
| 2015 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 25 total declarations since 1973.
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 | 57 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 27.9 | 11 | 0 | $850K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 60.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 16.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 55 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 35.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 20.5 | 10 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 46.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 38.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 21.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 67.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 40.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 54.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 74.8 | 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
Bledsoe County ranks in the 70th 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 | 70th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 88th | High |
| Household characteristics | 18th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 37th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 76th | 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 | 81st | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 77th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 92.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 21 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 8 in 2016–20 vs 13 in 2021–25 .
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 Bledsoe County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Bledsoe County, Tennessee are landslide, cold wave, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Bledsoe County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Bledsoe County has received 25 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (12 declarations).
Has Bledsoe County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Bledsoe County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Bledsoe County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Cumberland County, TN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Van Buren County, TN has the lowest (Very Low). Bledsoe County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Bledsoe County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Bledsoe 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. Bledsoe County's composite score of 24 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 24% of US counties.