Elbert County, CO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Elbert County has experienced 13 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Elbert County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, hail, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 103% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (0th 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. Elbert County has been designated in 13 declarations since 1965, covering 8 disaster types including flood (4), biological (2), snowstorm (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 |
| 2007 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2002 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 1999 | Severe Storm | Co-Flooding 4/30/99 |
| 1997 | Flood | Severe Storms, Heavy Rain, Flash Floods, Flooding, Mudslides |
Showing the 10 most recent of 13 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 Moderate | 95.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 29.9 | 5 | 0 | $115K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 32.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 9.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 48.9 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 89.1 | 165 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 28.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 76.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 19.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 49.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 42.5 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 34.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 32.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 35.8 | — | — | — |
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
Elbert County ranks in the 0th 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 | 0th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 0th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 1st | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 44th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 0th | Very low |
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 | 80th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 81st | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 93.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 176 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 58 in 2016–20 vs 118 in 2021–25 (+103% — frequency increasing).
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 Elbert County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Elbert County, Colorado are wildfire, hail, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Elbert County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Elbert County has received 13 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is flood (4 declarations).
Has Elbert County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Elbert County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes in 2023.
How does Elbert County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Denver County, CO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Lincoln County, CO has the lowest (Very Low). Elbert County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Elbert County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Elbert 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. Elbert County's composite score of 37 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 37% of US counties.