Delta County, CO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Delta County has experienced 9 federally declared disasters since 1970, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Delta County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, wildfire, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Delta County has been designated in 9 declarations since 1970, covering 5 disaster types including flood (3), biological (2), fire (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Fire | Co-Mcgruder Fire-07/03/2004 |
| 2002 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 1984 | Flood | Severe Storms, Mudslides, Landslides & Flooding |
| 1977 | Drought | Drought |
| 1973 | Flood | Flooding & Landslides |
| 1970 | Flood | Heavy Rains & 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 | Relatively Low | 86.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 69.6 | 7 | 0 | $23K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 68.3 | 22 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 18.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 8.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 7.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 12.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 42.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 15.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 19.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 83 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 68.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 94.5 | 1 | 0 | $2.0M |
| Avalanche | Relatively Moderate | 79.5 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 17.3 | — | — | — |
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
Delta County ranks in the 58th 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 | 58th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 63rd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 71st | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 54th | Moderate |
| 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 | 72nd | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 80th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 61.6% | — |
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 Delta County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Delta County, Colorado are landslide, wildfire, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Delta County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Delta County has received 9 federal disaster declarations since 1970, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (3 declarations).
Has Delta County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Delta County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Delta County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Mesa County, CO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Ouray County, CO has the lowest (Very Low). Delta County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Delta County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Delta 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. Delta County's composite score of 51 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 51% of US counties.