Calcasieu Parish, LA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Calcasieu Parish has experienced 42 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Calcasieu Parish's highest-rated hazards are lightning, hurricane, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 135 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (71st percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Calcasieu Parish has been designated in 42 declarations since 1972, covering 9 disaster types including hurricane (23), flood (7), coastal storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Francine |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Zeta |
| 2021 | Coastal Storm | Tropical Storm Nicholas |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Ida |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2021 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
Showing the 10 most recent of 42 total declarations since 1972.
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 Moderate | 90.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 94.5 | 56 | 1 | $636.9M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively High | 84 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 65.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 88.5 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 95.6 | 31 | 0 | $5.9M |
| Hurricane | Very High | 98.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 93.9 | 45 | 0 | $46.0M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 84.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 32 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 90.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 92.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 99.2 | 4 | 0 | $1.5M |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 85.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 35.8 | 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
Calcasieu Parish ranks in the 71st 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 | 71st | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 62nd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 57th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 71st | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 77th | High |
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 | 85th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 84th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 33.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 135 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 68 in 2016–20 vs 67 in 2021–25 (-1% — 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 Calcasieu Parish?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana are lightning, hurricane, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Calcasieu Parish received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Calcasieu Parish has received 42 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (23 declarations).
Has Calcasieu Parish had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Calcasieu Parish include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Francine (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1972.
How does Calcasieu Parish's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Orange County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Newton County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). Calcasieu Parish is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Calcasieu Parish's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Calcasieu Parish'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. Calcasieu Parish's composite score of 96 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 96% of US counties.