Cameron Parish, LA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Cameron Parish has experienced 39 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Cameron Parish's highest-rated hazards are lightning, wildfire, and coastal flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 44 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (30th 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. Cameron Parish has been designated in 39 declarations since 1972, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (28), coastal storm (3), severe ice storm (2).
| 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 | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Delta |
Showing the 10 most recent of 39 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 Low | 86.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 5.9 | 7 | 0 | $25.1M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively High | 84.6 | 14 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 10.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 19 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 26.7 | 14 | 0 | $312K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 82.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 6.9 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 16.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 3.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 24.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 17.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 94.3 | 1 | 0 | $5K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 61.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 3.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Cameron Parish ranks in the 30th 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 | 30th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 26th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 54th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 38th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 29th | 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 | 97th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 99th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 73.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 44 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 22 in 2016–20 vs 22 in 2021–25 (0% — 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 Cameron Parish?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Cameron Parish, Louisiana are lightning, wildfire, and coastal flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Cameron Parish received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Cameron Parish has received 39 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (28 declarations).
Has Cameron Parish had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Cameron Parish include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Francine (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1972.
How does Cameron Parish's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Calcasieu Parish, LA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Beauregard Parish, LA has the lowest (Relatively Low). Cameron Parish is rated Very Low overall.
How is Cameron Parish's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Cameron 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. Cameron Parish's composite score of 34 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 34% of US counties.