Daniels County, MT
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Daniels County has experienced 8 federally declared disasters since 1986, most recently Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Daniels County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, wildfire, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 34 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (12th 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. Daniels County has been designated in 8 declarations since 1986, covering 4 disaster types including flood (4), biological (2), hurricane (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2023 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1986 | Flood | Heavy Rains, Landslides & Flooding |
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 | 37.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 3 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 3.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 8.1 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 7.9 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 14.1 | 26 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 5.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 35.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 3.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 54.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 2.4 | 1 | 0 | $5K |
| Drought | Very Low | 28.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 8 | 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
Daniels County ranks in the 12th 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 | 12th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 15th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 18th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 27th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 19th | Very 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 | 55th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 57th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 51.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 34 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 16 in 2016–20 vs 18 in 2021–25 (+13% — frequency increasing).
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 Daniels County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Daniels County, Montana are cold wave, wildfire, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Daniels County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Daniels County has received 8 federal disaster declarations since 1986, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is flood (4 declarations).
Has Daniels County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Daniels County include Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1986.
How does Daniels County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Roosevelt County, MT has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and McCone County, MT has the lowest (Very Low). Daniels County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Daniels County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Daniels 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. Daniels County's composite score of 2 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 2% of US counties.