Bureau County, IL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Bureau County has experienced 17 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Bureau County's highest-rated hazards are drought, tornado, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 48% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Bureau County has been designated in 17 declarations since 1973, covering 5 disaster types including flood (6), snowstorm (5), severe storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2013 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2007 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001 | Snowstorm | Illinois Winter Snow Storms |
| 1999 | Snowstorm | Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 17 total declarations since 1973.
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 | 13 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 63.4 | 16 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 74 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 48.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 81.7 | 14 | 0 | $8K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 25.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 80.5 | 47 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 76.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 43.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 61.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 69.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 36.3 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively High | 94.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 66.4 | 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
Bureau County ranks in the 35th percentile (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 | 35th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 41st | Low |
| Household characteristics | 56th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 41st | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 20th | 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 | 5th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 5th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 25.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 72 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 29 in 2016–20 vs 43 in 2021–25 (+48% — 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 Bureau County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Bureau County, Illinois are drought, tornado, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Bureau County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Bureau County has received 17 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (6 declarations).
Has Bureau County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Bureau County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Bureau County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Whiteside County, IL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Stark County, IL has the lowest (Very Low). Bureau County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Bureau County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Bureau 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. Bureau County's composite score of 62 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 62% of US counties.