Bourbon County, KS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Bourbon County has experienced 18 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Bourbon County's highest-rated hazards are hail, drought, and ice storm, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 39 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Bourbon County has been designated in 18 declarations since 1969, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (11), biological (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
Showing the 10 most recent of 18 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 | 44.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 40.1 | 15 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 42.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 63.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 43.7 | 1 | 0 | $50K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 23.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 88.7 | 23 | 0 | $55K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 59.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 72.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 74.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 46.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 47.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 76.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 44.2 | 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
Bourbon County ranks in the 51st 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 | 51st | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 41st | Low |
| Household characteristics | 71st | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 33rd | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 56th | Moderate |
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 | 60th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 59th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 60.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 39 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 21 in 2016–20 vs 18 in 2021–25 (-14% — 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 Bourbon County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Bourbon County, Kansas are hail, drought, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Bourbon County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Bourbon County has received 18 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (11 declarations).
Has Bourbon County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Bourbon County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1969.
How does Bourbon County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Crawford County, KS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Linn County, KS has the lowest (Very Low). Bourbon County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Bourbon County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Bourbon 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. Bourbon County's composite score of 36 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 36% of US counties.