Briscoe County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Briscoe County has experienced 16 federally declared disasters since 1970, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2021. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Briscoe County's highest-rated hazards are drought, wildfire, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 33 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. Briscoe County has been designated in 16 declarations since 1970, covering 6 disaster types including fire (5), severe ice storm (3), hurricane (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2011 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2008 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2006 | Fire | Extreme Wildfire Threat |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Rita |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Rita |
Showing the 10 most recent of 16 total declarations since 1970.
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 | 58 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 0.4 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 2.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 16.8 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 15.3 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 9.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 55.9 | 22 | 0 | $126K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 9.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 14.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 6.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 9.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 2.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively High | 96.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 4.8 | 1 | 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
Briscoe County ranks in the 55th 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 | 55th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 86th | High |
| Household characteristics | 81st | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 81st | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 1st | 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 | 96th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 97th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 62.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 33 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 17 in 2016–20 vs 16 in 2021–25 (-6% — relatively stable).
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 Briscoe County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Briscoe County, Texas are drought, wildfire, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Briscoe County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Briscoe County has received 16 federal disaster declarations since 1970, including declarations in 2021. The most common disaster type on record is fire (5 declarations).
Has Briscoe County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Briscoe County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Winter Storm in 2021.
How does Briscoe County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Swisher County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Motley County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). Briscoe County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Briscoe County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Briscoe 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. Briscoe County's composite score of 9 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 9% of US counties.