Burke County, ND
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Burke County has experienced 21 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Flooding in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Burke County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, wildfire, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 27 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (4th 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. Burke County has been designated in 21 declarations since 1969, covering 5 disaster types including flood (9), severe storm (7), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| 2021 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2006 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Record And/Or Near Record Snow |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Showing the 10 most recent of 21 total declarations since 1969.
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 | 46.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 1.7 | 1 | 0 | $30K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 0.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 3.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 9.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 15.7 | 26 | 0 | $615K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 6.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 50 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 34.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 41.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 7.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 24.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 25.5 | 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
Burke County ranks in the 4th 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 | 4th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 2nd | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 32nd | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 16th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 8th | 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 | 37th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 40th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 57.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 27 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 14 in 2016–20 vs 13 in 2021–25 (-7% — 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 Burke County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Burke County, North Dakota are winter weather, wildfire, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Burke County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Burke County has received 21 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is flood (9 declarations).
Has Burke County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Burke County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Flooding in 2023.
How does Burke County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Ward County, ND has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Renville County, ND has the lowest (Very Low). Burke County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Burke County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Burke 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. Burke County's composite score of 1 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 1% of US counties.