Breathitt County, KY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Breathitt County has experienced 49 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Breathitt County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, inland flooding, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 145% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. 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. Breathitt County has been designated in 49 declarations since 1967, covering 10 disaster types including severe storm (21), flood (14), severe ice storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2025 | Tropical Storm | Remnants Of Hurricane Helene |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides |
| 2022 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Showing the 10 most recent of 49 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 | 69.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 82.3 | 43 | 11 | $179K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 41.6 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 35.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 27.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 39.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 38.2 | 23 | 0 | $4K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 36.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 57.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 19.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 40.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 35.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 94 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 25.1 | — | — | — |
| 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
Breathitt 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 | 71st | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 44th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 2nd | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 95th | 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 | 91st | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 88th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 89.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 69 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 20 in 2016–20 vs 49 in 2021–25 (+145% — 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 Breathitt County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Breathitt County, Kentucky are landslide, inland flooding, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Breathitt County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Breathitt County has received 49 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (21 declarations).
Has Breathitt County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Breathitt County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (2025), Remnants Of Hurricane Helene (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1967.
How does Breathitt County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Perry County, KY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Owsley County, KY has the lowest (Very Low). Breathitt County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Breathitt County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Breathitt 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. Breathitt County's composite score of 65 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 65% of US counties.