Botetourt County, VA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Botetourt County has experienced 24 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Botetourt County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, avalanche, and hurricane, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 47% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (1st percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Botetourt County has been designated in 24 declarations since 1969, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (6), severe storm (5), snowstorm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2010 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 24 total declarations since 1969.
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 | 25.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 42.4 | 27 | 0 | $856K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 35.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 10.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 12 | 1 | 0 | $4K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 56 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 10.8 | 14 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 40.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 37.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 16.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 30.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 40.8 | 4 | 0 | $100K |
| Drought | Very Low | 28.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 86.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 63.2 | — | — | — |
| 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
Botetourt County ranks in the 1st percentile (Very 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 | 1st | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 4th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 2nd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 23rd | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 8th | Very 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 | 62nd | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 64th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 81.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 46 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 30 in 2016–20 vs 16 in 2021–25 (-47% — 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 Botetourt County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Botetourt County, Virginia are landslide, avalanche, and hurricane. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Botetourt County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Botetourt County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (6 declarations).
Has Botetourt County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Botetourt County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Helene (2025), Severe Winter Storms And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1969.
How does Botetourt County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Roanoke, VA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Lexington, VA has the lowest (Very Low). Botetourt County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Botetourt County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Botetourt 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. Botetourt County's composite score of 18 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 18% of US counties.