Cleburne County, AR
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Cleburne County has experienced 23 federally declared disasters since 1976, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Cleburne County's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, lightning, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Cleburne County has been designated in 23 declarations since 1976, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (12), severe ice storm (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Laura |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms,Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Associated Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 23 total declarations since 1976.
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 | 75.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 73.3 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 86.7 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 66.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 88.8 | 2 | 0 | $70K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 53.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 50.3 | 12 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 63 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 72.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 96.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 32.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 93.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 33.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 72.2 | 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
Cleburne County ranks in the 35th 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 | 35th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 54th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 48th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 19th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 18th | 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 | 78th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 73rd | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 86.1% | — |
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 Cleburne County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Cleburne County, Arkansas are ice storm, lightning, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Cleburne County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Cleburne County has received 23 federal disaster declarations since 1976, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (12 declarations).
Has Cleburne County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Cleburne County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1976.
How does Cleburne County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Faulkner County, AR has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Stone County, AR has the lowest (Relatively Low). Cleburne County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Cleburne County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Cleburne 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. Cleburne County's composite score of 73 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 73% of US counties.