Custer County, SD
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Custer County has experienced 17 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Straight-Line Winds in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Custer County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, winter weather, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 246 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (29th 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. Custer County has been designated in 17 declarations since 1972, covering 6 disaster types including fire (6), flood (4), severe storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Straight-Line Winds | Straight-Line Winds |
| 2026 | Fire | Qury Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2018 | Fire | Legion Lake Fire |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| 2012 | Fire | Myrtle Fire |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002 | Fire | Sd - Battle Creek Fire - 08/18/02 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 17 total declarations since 1972.
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 | 94.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 19.3 | 12 | 0 | $1.2M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 25.1 | 4 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 5.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 22.1 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 44.1 | 231 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 15.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 60.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 23.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 24.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 16.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 52.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 2.5 | — | — | — |
| 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
Custer County ranks in the 29th 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 | 29th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 32nd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 12th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 32nd | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 57th | Moderate |
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 | 89th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 85.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 246 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 117 in 2016–20 vs 129 in 2021–25 (+10% — relatively stable).
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 Custer County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Custer County, South Dakota are wildfire, winter weather, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Custer County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Custer County has received 17 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is fire (6 declarations).
Has Custer County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Custer County include Straight-Line Winds (2026), Qury Fire (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1972.
How does Custer County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Pennington County, SD has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Niobrara County, WY has the lowest (Very Low). Custer County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Custer County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Custer 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. Custer County's composite score of 16 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 16% of US counties.