Copper River Census Area, AK
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Copper River Census Area's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country. No federal disaster declarations are on record for this county.
Copper River Census Area's highest-rated hazards are avalanche, landslide, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
No federal disaster declarations on record for Copper River Census Area as of September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 83.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 1.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 77.8 | 18 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Insufficient Data | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 0.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 0.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 27.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 0.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 29.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 4.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 96.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very High | 99.4 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 63.8 | — | — | — |
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
Copper River Census Area ranks in the 52nd percentile (Moderate) 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 | 52nd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 49th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 60th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 86th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 30th | 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 | 86th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 89th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 88.5% | — |
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 Copper River Census Area?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Copper River Census Area, Alaska are avalanche, landslide, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
How does Copper River Census Area's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Anchorage Municipality, AK has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Yakutat City and Borough, AK has the lowest (Very Low). Copper River Census Area is rated Very Low overall.
How is Copper River Census Area's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Copper River Census Area'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. Copper River Census Area's composite score of 40 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 40% of US counties.