Del Norte County, CA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Del Norte County has experienced 21 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Del Norte County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, tsunami, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (90th 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. Del Norte County has been designated in 21 declarations since 1965, covering 8 disaster types including flood (8), severe storm (6), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2021 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2017 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2011 | Tsunami | Tsunami Waves |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, And Landslides |
Showing the 10 most recent of 21 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 Low | 85.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 77.8 | 7 | 0 | $584K |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 42.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 94.2 | 20 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 14.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 3.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 4.4 | 2 | 0 | $5K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 3.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 9.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | No Rating | 0 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 12.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 40 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively High | 98.6 | 1 | 0 | $1K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 40.1 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Very High | 98.5 | — | — | — |
| 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
Del Norte County ranks in the 90th 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 | 90th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 78th | High |
| Household characteristics | 64th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 77th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 99th | High |
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 | 94th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 95th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 49.0% | — |
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 Del Norte County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Del Norte County, California are landslide, tsunami, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Del Norte County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Del Norte County has received 21 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is flood (8 declarations).
Has Del Norte County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Del Norte County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides in 2023.
How does Del Norte County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Humboldt County, CA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Trinity County, CA has the lowest (Relatively Low). Del Norte County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Del Norte County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Del Norte 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. Del Norte County's composite score of 94 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 94% of US counties.