Boundary County, ID
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Boundary County has experienced 12 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Straight-Line Winds in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Boundary County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, avalanche, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Boundary County has been designated in 12 declarations since 1967, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (4), biological (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Straight-Line Winds | Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm And Straight-Line Wind |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
| 1997 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Snowmelt, Land/Mud Slides, Flooding |
| 1997 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud And Landslides |
| 1996 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 1980 | Volcanic Eruption | Volcanic Eruption, Mt. St. Helens |
Showing the 10 most recent of 12 total declarations since 1967.
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 | 80.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 45.8 | 3 | 0 | $5K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 25.4 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 30.9 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 3.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 3.8 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 5.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 68.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 47.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 17.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 15.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 97.7 | 8 | 0 | $5.1M |
| Avalanche | Relatively Moderate | 82.6 | — | — | — |
| 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
Boundary County ranks in the 50th 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 | 50th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 66th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 52nd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 34th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 31st | 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 | 74th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 79th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 77.8% | — |
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 Boundary County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Boundary County, Idaho are landslide, avalanche, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Boundary County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Boundary County has received 12 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (4 declarations).
Has Boundary County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Boundary County include Straight-Line Winds (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1967.
How does Boundary County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Spokane County, WA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Pend Oreille County, WA has the lowest (Very Low). Boundary County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Boundary County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Boundary 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. Boundary County's composite score of 26 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 26% of US counties.