Eau Claire County, WI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Eau Claire County has experienced 9 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Eau Claire County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, hail, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 41 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (16th 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. Eau Claire County has been designated in 9 declarations since 1969, covering 5 disaster types including flood (3), biological (2), severe storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 1993 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1980 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1976 | Drought | Drought |
| 1973 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1969 | Flood | 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 | 30.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 79.9 | 6 | 0 | $660K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 9.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 67.4 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 80.6 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 89.3 | 27 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 88.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 71.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 62.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 94 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 71 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 16.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 76.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Eau Claire County ranks in the 16th 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 | 16th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 13th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 5th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 34th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 59th | 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 | 19th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 19th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 43.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 41 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 22 in 2016–20 vs 19 in 2021–25 (-14% — 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 Eau Claire County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin are cold wave, hail, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Eau Claire County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Eau Claire County has received 9 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (3 declarations).
Has Eau Claire County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Eau Claire County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Eau Claire County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Clark County, WI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Pepin County, WI has the lowest (Very Low). Eau Claire County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Eau Claire County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Eau Claire 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. Eau Claire County's composite score of 78 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 78% of US counties.