Broadwater County, MT
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Broadwater County has experienced 12 federally declared disasters since 1975, most recently Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Broadwater County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, avalanche, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (8th 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. Broadwater County has been designated in 12 declarations since 1975, covering 6 disaster types including fire (3), flood (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Straight-Line Winds | Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2024 | Fire | Horse Gulch Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2014 | Flood | Ice Jams And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2000 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2000 | Fire | Mt - Central Zone 3b Fire Complex |
| 1997 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms,Ice Jams, Snow Melt, Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 12 total declarations since 1975.
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 | 72.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 19.1 | 3 | 0 | $100K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 74.9 | 24 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 8.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 5.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 17.8 | 14 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 4.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 67.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 5.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 54.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 73.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 30.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 89.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively Moderate | 85.4 | — | — | — |
| 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
Broadwater County ranks in the 8th 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 | 8th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 49th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 3rd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 31st | Low |
| 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 | 70th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 77th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 69.9% | — |
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 Broadwater County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Broadwater County, Montana are landslide, avalanche, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Broadwater County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Broadwater County has received 12 federal disaster declarations since 1975, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is fire (3 declarations).
Has Broadwater County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Broadwater County include Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (2026), Horse Gulch Fire (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1975.
How does Broadwater County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Cascade County, MT has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Meagher County, MT has the lowest (Very Low). Broadwater County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Broadwater County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Broadwater 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. Broadwater County's composite score of 18 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 18% of US counties.