Emmons County, ND
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Emmons County has experienced 26 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Emmons County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, hail, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 47 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (5th 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. Emmons County has been designated in 26 declarations since 1969, covering 6 disaster types including flood (13), severe storm (8), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2021 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2010 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2010 | Flood | Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 26 total declarations since 1969.
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 | 93.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 30.9 | 3 | 0 | $655K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 17.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 12.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 40.5 | 5 | 0 | $900K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 90.5 | 39 | 0 | $100K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 31.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 89.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 70.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 82.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 35.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 29.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Emmons County ranks in the 5th 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 | 5th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 17th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 3rd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 4th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 17th | 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 | 64th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 74th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 71.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 47 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 23 in 2016–20 vs 24 in 2021–25 (+4% — 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 Emmons County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Emmons County, North Dakota are wildfire, hail, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Emmons County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Emmons County has received 26 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is flood (13 declarations).
Has Emmons County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Emmons County include Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1969.
How does Emmons County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Burleigh County, ND has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Kidder County, ND has the lowest (Very Low). Emmons County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Emmons County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Emmons 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. Emmons County's composite score of 44 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 44% of US counties.