Bullitt County, KY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Bullitt County has experienced 27 federally declared disasters since 1970, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Bullitt County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, tornado, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 22% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (18th 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. Bullitt County has been designated in 27 declarations since 1970, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (10), flood (7), tornado (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 |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2022 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2022 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 27 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 | 26.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 74.1 | 26 | 1 | $497K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 70.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 51.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 88.6 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 13.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 40.7 | 11 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 92.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 70.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 67.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 80 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 70 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 17.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 30.4 | 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
Bullitt County ranks in the 18th 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 | 18th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 19th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 46th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 19th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 17th | 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 | 18th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 17th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 64.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 40 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 18 in 2016–20 vs 22 in 2021–25 (+22% — 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 Bullitt County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Bullitt County, Kentucky are strong wind, tornado, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Bullitt County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Bullitt County has received 27 federal disaster declarations since 1970, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (10 declarations).
Has Bullitt County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Bullitt 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). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1970.
How does Bullitt County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Jefferson County, KY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Spencer County, KY has the lowest (Very Low). Bullitt County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Bullitt County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Bullitt 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. Bullitt County's composite score of 72 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 72% of US counties.