Evangeline Parish, LA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Evangeline Parish has experienced 35 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Evangeline Parish's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, hurricane, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 33% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (100th 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. Evangeline Parish has been designated in 35 declarations since 1972, covering 9 disaster types including hurricane (21), coastal storm (3), severe ice storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Francine |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Zeta |
| 2021 | Coastal Storm | Tropical Storm Nicholas |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Ida |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Delta |
Showing the 10 most recent of 35 total declarations since 1972.
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 | 68.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 62.3 | 16 | 0 | $18.6M |
| Coastal Flooding | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 40.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 69 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 87.8 | 13 | 0 | $526K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 89.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 51.7 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 40.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 35.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 76.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 90.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 86.9 | 1 | 0 | $50K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 88.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 13.6 | 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
Evangeline Parish ranks in the 100th 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 | 100th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 98th | High |
| Household characteristics | 100th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 73rd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 99th | 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 | 66th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 65th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 57.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 30 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 18 in 2016–20 vs 12 in 2021–25 (-33% — frequency decreasing).
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 Evangeline Parish?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Evangeline Parish, Louisiana are cold wave, hurricane, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Evangeline Parish received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Evangeline Parish has received 35 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (21 declarations).
Has Evangeline Parish had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Evangeline Parish include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Francine (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1972.
How does Evangeline Parish's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Acadia Parish, LA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Allen Parish, LA has the lowest (Relatively Low). Evangeline Parish is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Evangeline Parish's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Evangeline Parish'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. Evangeline Parish's composite score of 76 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 76% of US counties.