Columbia County, WI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Columbia County has experienced 11 federally declared disasters since 1976, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Columbia County's highest-rated hazards are hail, cold wave, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 19% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (10th 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 11 declarations since 1976, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (5), biological (2), hurricane (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2001 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2000 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 1993 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1976 | Flood | Severe Storms, Icing, Wind & Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 11 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 | Very Low | 42.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 75.6 | 41 | 0 | $441K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 28.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 80.4 | 11 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 75.7 | 4 | 0 | $502K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 10.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very High | 99.3 | 28 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 71.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 51.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 35.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 82.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 37.2 | 1 | 0 | $1K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 38.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 72.9 | 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
Columbia County ranks in the 10th 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 | 10th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 7th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 11th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 24th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 39th | 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 | 24th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 23rd | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 46.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 85 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 47 in 2016–20 vs 38 in 2021–25 (-19% — frequency decreasing).
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, Wisconsin are hail, 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 Columbia County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Columbia County has received 11 federal disaster declarations since 1976, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (5 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, Dane County, WI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Marquette County, WI has the lowest (Relatively Low). Columbia County is rated Relatively Moderate 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 81 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 81% of US counties.