Elmore County, ID
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Elmore County has experienced 11 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Elmore County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, avalanche, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (82nd 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. Elmore County has been designated in 11 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including fire (3), flood (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
| 2017 | Flood | Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2013 | Fire | Elk Fire |
| 2012 | Fire | Trinity Ridge Fire |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
| 2000 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 1997 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud And Landslides |
| 1977 | Drought | Drought |
Showing the 10 most recent of 11 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 | 97.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 30.1 | 4 | 0 | $102K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 42 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 58.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 7.1 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 17.8 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 49.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 69.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 30.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 12.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 22 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 18 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 80.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively High | 90.8 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 39.7 | — | — | — |
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
Elmore County ranks in the 82nd 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 | 82nd | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 88th | High |
| Household characteristics | 67th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 65th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 65th | 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 | 100th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 99th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 43.5% | — |
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 Elmore County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Elmore County, Idaho are wildfire, avalanche, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Elmore County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Elmore County has received 11 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is fire (3 declarations).
Has Elmore County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Elmore County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Elmore County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Ada County, ID has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Camas County, ID has the lowest (Very Low). Elmore County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Elmore County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Elmore 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. Elmore County's composite score of 52 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 52% of US counties.