Dolores County, CO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Dolores County has experienced 8 federally declared disasters since 1970, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Dolores County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, avalanche, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (19th 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. Dolores County has been designated in 8 declarations since 1970, covering 5 disaster types including flood (3), biological (2), coastal storm (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 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 | 79.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 8.8 | 5 | 0 | $29K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 32.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 2.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 1.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 13.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 3.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 5.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 76.3 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 45.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively High | 97.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively High | 92.3 | — | — | — |
| 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
Dolores County ranks in the 19th 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 | 19th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 9th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 27th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 58th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 34th | 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 | 82nd | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 87th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 79.6% | — |
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 Dolores County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Dolores County, Colorado are landslide, avalanche, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Dolores County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Dolores County has received 8 federal disaster declarations since 1970, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (3 declarations).
Has Dolores County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Dolores County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Dolores County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, La Plata County, CO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and San Juan County, CO has the lowest (Very Low). Dolores County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Dolores County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Dolores 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. Dolores County's composite score of 11 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 11% of US counties.