El Paso County, CO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
El Paso County has experienced 20 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
El Paso County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, wildfire, and hail, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 31% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. El Paso County has been designated in 20 declarations since 1965, covering 8 disaster types including flood (7), fire (5), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2015 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2013 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2013 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2013 | Fire | Black Forest Wildfire |
| 2013 | Fire | Black Forest Fire |
| 2012 | Fire | Waldo Canyon Fire |
| 2012 | Fire | High Park And Waldo Canyon Wildfires |
Showing the 10 most recent of 20 total declarations since 1965.
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 High | 99.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 95 | 78 | 0 | $150K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 75.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 77.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 96.8 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 99.1 | 756 | 0 | $341.8M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 90.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 99.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 64.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 74.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 98.9 | 2 | 0 | $20K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 44.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 42.8 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively Moderate | 79.1 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 71.7 | — | — | — |
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
El Paso County ranks in the 46th 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 | 46th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 42nd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 32nd | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 70th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 51st | 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 | 92nd | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 94th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 29.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 843 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 498 in 2016–20 vs 345 in 2021–25 (-31% — 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 El Paso County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in El Paso County, Colorado are winter weather, wildfire, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has El Paso County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. El Paso County has received 20 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is flood (7 declarations).
Has El Paso County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for El Paso County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes in 2023.
How does El Paso County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Douglas County, CO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Crowley County, CO has the lowest (Very Low). El Paso County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is El Paso County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
El Paso 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. El Paso County's composite score of 94 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 94% of US counties.