Comanche County, KS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Comanche County has experienced 22 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Comanche County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, drought, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 20% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (26th 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. Comanche County has been designated in 22 declarations since 1973, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (14), fire (2), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2022 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides |
| 2017 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2017 | Fire | Comanche County Fire |
| 2016 | Fire | Anderson Creek Fire |
Showing the 10 most recent of 22 total declarations since 1973.
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 | 94.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 2.8 | 8 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 13.7 | 4 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 15.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 29.3 | 4 | 0 | $85K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 13.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 58.7 | 42 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 23.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 8.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 30.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 53.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 3.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 87.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 5.5 | 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
Comanche County ranks in the 26th 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 | 26th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 13th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 86th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 3rd | Very low |
| 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 | 100th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 99th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 58.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 54 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 30 in 2016–20 vs 24 in 2021–25 (-20% — 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 Comanche County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Comanche County, Kansas are wildfire, drought, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Comanche County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Comanche County has received 22 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (14 declarations).
Has Comanche County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Comanche County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Comanche County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Pratt County, KS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Clark County, KS has the lowest (Very Low). Comanche County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Comanche County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Comanche 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. Comanche County's composite score of 20 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 20% of US counties.