Douglas County, WI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Douglas County has experienced 10 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Douglas County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, lightning, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 30% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (29th 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. Douglas County has been designated in 10 declarations since 1972, covering 5 disaster types including flood (4), biological (2), severe storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001 | Flood | Flooding, Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| 1999 | Flood | Wi-Flood-07/20/99 |
| 1976 | Drought | Drought |
| 1972 | 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 | Very Low | 39.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 61.5 | 14 | 0 | $150K |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 24 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 2.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 61.4 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 27.4 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 44.4 | 38 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 28.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 55.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 26 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 94.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 73.2 | 1 | 0 | $100K |
| Drought | Very Low | 15.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 16.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Douglas County ranks in the 29th percentile (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 | 29th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 17th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 36th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 27th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 66th | 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 | 31st | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 33rd | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 56.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 56 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 33 in 2016–20 vs 23 in 2021–25 (-30% — frequency decreasing).
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, Wisconsin are cold wave, lightning, and inland flooding. 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 10 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (4 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 Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Douglas County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Sawyer County, WI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Washburn County, WI has the lowest (Very 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 62 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 62% of US counties.