Burnet County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Burnet County has experienced 24 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Burnet County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, hail, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 159% 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. Burnet County has been designated in 24 declarations since 1973, covering 8 disaster types including fire (6), flood (5), severe storm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2023 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2018 | Fire | Park Road Fire |
| 2011 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2008 | Fire | Wildfires |
Showing the 10 most recent of 24 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 | Relatively Low | 88.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 82.3 | 23 | 5 | $36.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 15.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 82.1 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 84.8 | 4 | 0 | $110K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 60.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 87.4 | 107 | 0 | $10.0M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 83.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 82.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 32.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 73.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 64.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 67.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 43 | 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
Burnet County ranks in the 58th 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 | 58th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 50th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 69th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 64th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 50th | Moderate |
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 | 81st | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 82nd | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 70.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 140 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 39 in 2016–20 vs 101 in 2021–25 (+159% — 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 Burnet County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Burnet County, Texas are wildfire, hail, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Burnet County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Burnet County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is fire (6 declarations).
Has Burnet County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Burnet County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Burnet County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Bell County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and San Saba County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). Burnet County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Burnet County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Burnet 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. Burnet County's composite score of 77 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 77% of US counties.