Butler County, AL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Butler County has experienced 28 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Hurricane Helene in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Butler County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, lightning, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Butler County has been designated in 28 declarations since 1977, covering 5 disaster types including hurricane (14), severe storm (10), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nate |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
Showing the 10 most recent of 28 total declarations since 1977.
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 | 31.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 36.1 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 52.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 56.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 67.2 | 6 | 0 | $33K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 85.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 16.9 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 72.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 6.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 11.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 37 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 84.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 37.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 42.5 | 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
Butler County ranks in the 69th 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 | 69th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 84th | High |
| Household characteristics | 61st | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 87th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 22nd | 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 | 47th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 45th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 89.5% | — |
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 Butler County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Butler County, Alabama are hurricane, lightning, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Butler County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Butler County has received 28 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (14 declarations).
Has Butler County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Butler County include Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Butler County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Montgomery County, AL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Lowndes County, AL has the lowest (Very Low). Butler County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Butler County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Butler 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. Butler County's composite score of 45 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 45% of US counties.