Columbia County, OR
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Columbia County has experienced 17 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Columbia County's highest-rated hazards are earthquake, heat wave, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (25th 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. Columbia County has been designated in 17 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (8), flood (4), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Fire | Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2012 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Record And Near Record Snow |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
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 | Very Low | 30.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 68.2 | 5 | 0 | $55K |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | 50.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 94.5 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 90.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 13.3 | 1 | 0 | $40K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 4.8 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 23.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 27.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 38.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 30.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 89.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 4.7 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 81.8 | — | — | — |
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
Columbia County ranks in the 25th 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 | 25th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 29th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 18th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 41st | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 31st | 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 | 15th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 15th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 59.8% | — |
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 Columbia County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Columbia County, Oregon are earthquake, heat wave, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Columbia County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Columbia County has received 17 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (8 declarations).
Has Columbia County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Columbia County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Columbia 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 Wahkiakum County, WA has the lowest (Very Low). Columbia County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Columbia County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Columbia 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. Columbia County's composite score of 71 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 71% of US counties.