Clear Creek County, CO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Clear Creek County has experienced 9 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Clear Creek County's highest-rated hazards are avalanche, wildfire, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (14th 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. Clear Creek County has been designated in 9 declarations since 1969, covering 5 disaster types including flood (4), biological (2), coastal storm (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2013 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2002 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 1997 | Flood | Severe Storms, Heavy Rain, Flash Floods, Flooding, Mudslides |
| 1969 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
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 | 94 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 40 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 25.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 18.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 74.6 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 10.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 32.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 11 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 4.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 67.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 88.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very High | 98 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 28.7 | — | — | — |
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
Clear Creek County ranks in the 14th percentile (Very 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 | 14th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 32nd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 4th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 40th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 17th | 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 | 92nd | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 95th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 71.8% | — |
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 Clear Creek County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Clear Creek County, Colorado are avalanche, wildfire, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Clear Creek County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Clear Creek County has received 9 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (4 declarations).
Has Clear Creek County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Clear Creek County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Clear Creek County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Jefferson County, CO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Gilpin County, CO has the lowest (Very Low). Clear Creek County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Clear Creek County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Clear Creek 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. Clear Creek County's composite score of 47 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 47% of US counties.