Elko County, NV
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Elko County has experienced 19 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Elko County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, winter weather, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 22% 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. Elko County has been designated in 19 declarations since 1977, covering 6 disaster types including fire (11), biological (2), severe storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2017 | Fire | Oil Well Fire |
| 2012 | Fire | Indian Creek Fire |
| 2007 | Fire | Murphy Fire Complex |
| 2006 | Fire | Suzie Fire |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2006 | Fire | Mudd Fire |
| 2005 | Fire | Vor-Mccarty Fire |
Showing the 10 most recent of 19 total declarations since 1977.
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 | 99.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 54.5 | 20 | 0 | $4.3M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 84.2 | 167 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 55.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 1.7 | 4 | 0 | $20K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 20.9 | 11 | 0 | $5.0M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 18.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 87.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 22.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 51.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 39.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 56.6 | 5 | 0 | $5K |
| Avalanche | Relatively Moderate | 81.1 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 10.4 | — | — | — |
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
Elko County ranks in the 62nd percentile (Moderate) 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 | 62nd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 41st | Low |
| Household characteristics | 57th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 74th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 78th | 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 | 100th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 100th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 65.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 40 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 18 in 2016–20 vs 22 in 2021–25 (+22% — 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 Elko County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Elko County, Nevada are wildfire, winter weather, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Elko County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Elko County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is fire (11 declarations).
Has Elko County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Elko County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Elko County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Twin Falls County, ID has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Eureka County, NV has the lowest (Very Low). Elko County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Elko County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Elko 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. Elko County's composite score of 88 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 88% of US counties.