El Paso County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
El Paso County has experienced 16 federally declared disasters since 1975, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2021. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
El Paso County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, winter weather, and hail, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 84 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (98th 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. El Paso County has been designated in 16 declarations since 1975, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (5), fire (3), severe ice storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2008 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2008 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ike |
| 2008 | Hurricane | Hurricane Gustav |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2006 | Fire | Extreme Wildfire Threat |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Rita |
Showing the 10 most recent of 16 total declarations since 1975.
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 | 71 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 96.8 | 45 | 3 | $820K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 92.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 98.7 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 34.8 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 41.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very High | 99.6 | 37 | 0 | $300.3M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 95.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 99.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 70.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 83.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 99.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively High | 96 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 44.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 20.2 | — | — | — |
| 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
El Paso County ranks in the 98th 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 | 98th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 99th | High |
| Household characteristics | 92nd | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 99th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 81st | High |
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 | 32nd | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 33rd | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 13.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 84 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 44 in 2016–20 vs 40 in 2021–25 (-9% — relatively stable).
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, Texas are lightning, winter weather, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has El Paso County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. El Paso County has received 16 federal disaster declarations since 1975, including declarations in 2021. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (5 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 Winter Storm in 2021.
How does El Paso County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Doña Ana County, NM has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Hudspeth County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). El Paso County is rated Relatively High 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 96 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 96% of US counties.