Douglas County, WA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Douglas County has experienced 19 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds in 2021. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Douglas County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, volcanic activity, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (81st 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. Douglas County has been designated in 19 declarations since 1972, covering 8 disaster types including fire (10), biological (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Fire | Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Fire | Road 11 Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2020 | Fire | Cold Springs/Pearl Hill Fire |
| 2018 | Fire | Grass Valley Fire |
| 2018 | Fire | Chelan Hills Fire |
| 2015 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2015 | Fire | Chelan Fire Complex |
| 2012 | Fire | Barker Canyon Fire |
Showing the 10 most recent of 19 total declarations since 1972.
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 Moderate | 94.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 82.1 | 6 | 0 | $1.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 81.6 | 8 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 67.8 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 6.7 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 55.2 | 4 | 0 | $10K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 17.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 56.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 1.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 82.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 53.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 18.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 49.9 | 4 | 0 | $7K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 61.5 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 83.4 | — | — | — |
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
Douglas County ranks in the 81st 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 | 81st | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 49th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 99th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 77th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 69th | 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 | 97th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 96th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 41.6% | — |
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 Douglas County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Douglas County, Washington are wildfire, volcanic activity, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Douglas County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Douglas County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2021. The most common disaster type on record is fire (10 declarations).
Has Douglas County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Douglas County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds in 2021.
How does Douglas County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Chelan County, WA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Ferry County, WA has the lowest (Relatively Low). Douglas County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Douglas County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Douglas 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. Douglas County's composite score of 74 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 74% of US counties.