Columbia County, WA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Columbia County has experienced 16 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides in 2021. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Columbia County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, avalanche, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Columbia County has been designated in 16 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including flood (7), severe storm (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides |
| 2009 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, And Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Record And Near Record Snow |
| 2006 | Fire | Columbia Fire Complex |
| 2005 | Fire | School Fire |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Showing the 10 most recent of 16 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 | 73.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 30.7 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 34 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 25.6 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 3.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 8.1 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 4.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 8.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 43.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 15 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 1.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 14.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 67.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | 69.2 | — | — | — |
| 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
Columbia County ranks in the 36th 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 | 36th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 25th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 93rd | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 50th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 11th | 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 | 90th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 90th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 51.4% | — |
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, Washington are wildfire, avalanche, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Columbia County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Columbia County has received 16 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2021. The most common disaster type on record is flood (7 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 Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides in 2021.
How does Columbia County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Franklin County, WA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Garfield County, WA has the lowest (Very Low). Columbia County is rated Very 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 9 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 9% of US counties.