Chelan County, WA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Chelan County has experienced 53 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Chelan County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, landslide, and avalanche, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 52 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (80th 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. Chelan County has been designated in 53 declarations since 1972, covering 8 disaster types including fire (34), severe storm (7), flood (6).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2025 | Fire | Lower Sugarloaf Fire |
| 2022 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding |
| 2021 | Fire | Twentyfive Mile Fire |
| 2021 | Fire | Red Apple Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2020 | Fire | Apple Acres Fire |
Showing the 10 most recent of 53 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 High | 99.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 91.3 | 35 | 0 | $903K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 88.8 | 12 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 77.2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 9.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 67.2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 10.8 | 1 | 0 | $10K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 76.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 21.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 66.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 84.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 17.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 95.5 | 17 | 0 | $151K |
| Avalanche | Very High | 95.2 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively Low | 90.6 | — | — | — |
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
Chelan County ranks in the 80th percentile (High) 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 | 80th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 51st | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 95th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 71st | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 81st | 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 | 100th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 100th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 49.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 52 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 26 in 2016–20 vs 26 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 Chelan County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Chelan County, Washington are wildfire, landslide, and avalanche. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Chelan County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Chelan County has received 53 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is fire (34 declarations).
Has Chelan County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Chelan County include Wildfires (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2026), Lower Sugarloaf Fire (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1972.
How does Chelan County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, King County, WA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very High) and Douglas County, WA has the lowest (Relatively Low). Chelan County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Chelan County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Chelan 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. Chelan County's composite score of 91 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 91% of US counties.