Clark County, WA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Clark County has experienced 17 federally declared disasters since 1965, 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.
Clark County's highest-rated hazards are earthquake, cold wave, and heat wave, 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. Clark County has been designated in 17 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (6), flood (5), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Fire | Nakia Creek Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides, And A T |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Record And Near Record Snow |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Showing the 10 most recent of 17 total declarations since 1965.
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 | 69.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 92.6 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 29.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 97.6 | 7 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 95.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 31.3 | 4 | 0 | $44K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 24.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 82.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 73.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 90.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 96.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 80.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 81.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 12.4 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively Low | 88.6 | — | — | — |
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
Clark County ranks in the 43rd 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 | 43rd | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 33rd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 50th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 60th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 45th | 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 | 41st | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 39th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 27.2% | — |
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 Clark County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Clark County, Washington are earthquake, cold wave, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Clark County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Clark County has received 17 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (6 declarations).
Has Clark County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Clark County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2026), Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Clark County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Multnomah County, OR has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Hood River County, OR has the lowest (Very Low). Clark County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Clark County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Clark 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. Clark County's composite score of 92 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 92% of US counties.