Denali Borough, AK
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Denali Borough has experienced 10 federally declared disasters since 2000, most recently Bear Creek Fire in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Denali Borough's highest-rated hazards are avalanche, wildfire, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (4th 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. Denali Borough has been designated in 10 declarations since 2000, covering 4 disaster types including severe storm (5), fire (2), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Fire | Bear Creek Fire |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2022 | Fire | Clear Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2003 | Earthquake | Earthquake |
| 2000 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Avalanches |
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 | 84.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 78.9 | 734 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Insufficient Data | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 0.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 0.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 0.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 26.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 2.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 64.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 84.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very High | 97.2 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 71.3 | — | — | — |
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
Denali Borough ranks in the 4th 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 | 4th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 0th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 0th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 60th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 70th | 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 | 93rd | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 94th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 81.3% | — |
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 Denali Borough?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Denali Borough, Alaska are avalanche, wildfire, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Denali Borough received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Denali Borough has received 10 federal disaster declarations since 2000, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (5 declarations).
Has Denali Borough had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Denali Borough include Bear Creek Fire (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 2000.
How does Denali Borough's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Anchorage Municipality, AK has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Copper River Census Area, AK has the lowest (Very Low). Denali Borough is rated Very Low overall.
How is Denali Borough's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Denali Borough'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. Denali Borough's composite score of 28 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 28% of US counties.