Escambia County, FL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Escambia County has experienced 40 federally declared disasters since 1970, most recently Tropical Storm Debby in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Escambia County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, hurricane, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 63% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (84th 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. Escambia County has been designated in 40 declarations since 1970, covering 6 disaster types including hurricane (24), severe storm (5), flood (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Debby |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Ian |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Fred |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
Showing the 10 most recent of 40 total declarations since 1970.
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 | 82.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 88.7 | 32 | 0 | $110K |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 76.8 | 5 | 2 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 68.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 94.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 71.2 | 11 | 0 | $27.1M |
| Hurricane | Very High | 98.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 59.6 | 20 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 46.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 61.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 26.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 81.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 99 | 4 | 1 | $10K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 52.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 45.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Escambia County ranks in the 84th 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 | 84th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 78th | High |
| Household characteristics | 64th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 75th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 88th | 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 | 82nd | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 80th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 39.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 71 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 27 in 2016–20 vs 44 in 2021–25 (+63% — 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 Escambia County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Escambia County, Florida are lightning, hurricane, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Escambia County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Escambia County has received 40 federal disaster declarations since 1970, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (24 declarations).
Has Escambia County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Escambia County include Tropical Storm Helene (2024), Tropical Storm Debby (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1970.
How does Escambia County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Mobile County, AL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Conecuh County, AL has the lowest (Very Low). Escambia County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Escambia County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Escambia 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. Escambia County's composite score of 95 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 95% of US counties.