Colusa County, CA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Colusa County has experienced 19 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Colusa County's highest-rated hazards are drought, earthquake, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (84th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Colusa County has been designated in 19 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (7), flood (6), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2017 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, And Landslides |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1998 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 19 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 Moderate | 89.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 37.9 | 17 | 1 | $8.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 90.8 | 8 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 65.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 9.3 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 6.2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 1.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | No Rating | 0 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 16.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very High | 99.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 70.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 9.4 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 39.4 | — | — | — |
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
Colusa County ranks in the 84th percentile (High) 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 | 84th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 89th | High |
| Household characteristics | 90th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 95th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 33rd | 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 | 97th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 98th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 41.4% | — |
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 Colusa County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Colusa County, California are drought, earthquake, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Colusa County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Colusa County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (7 declarations).
Has Colusa County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Colusa County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides in 2023.
How does Colusa County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Napa County, CA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Glenn County, CA has the lowest (Relatively Low). Colusa County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Colusa County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Colusa 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. Colusa County's composite score of 81 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 81% of US counties.