Fall River County, SD
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Fall River County has experienced 18 federally declared disasters since 1997, most recently Straight-Line Winds in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Fall River County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, winter weather, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 122 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Fall River County has been designated in 18 declarations since 1997, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (6), biological (4), fire (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Straight-Line Winds | Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2018 | Fire | Vineyard Fire |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 18 total declarations since 1997.
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 | 93.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 41.5 | 4 | 0 | $270K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 35.1 | 3 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 13.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 29.6 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 60.2 | 117 | 0 | $7K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 30.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 71.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 12.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 42.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 43.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 28.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 58.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 4.8 | — | — | — |
| 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
Fall River County ranks in the 63rd 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 | 63rd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 64th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 52nd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 45th | Low |
| 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 | 90th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 89th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 63.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 122 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 62 in 2016–20 vs 60 in 2021–25 (-3% — 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 Fall River County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Fall River County, South Dakota are wildfire, winter weather, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Fall River County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Fall River County has received 18 federal disaster declarations since 1997, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (6 declarations).
Has Fall River County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Fall River County include Straight-Line Winds (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1997.
How does Fall River County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Pennington County, SD has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Sioux County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Fall River County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Fall River County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Fall River 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. Fall River County's composite score of 31 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 31% of US counties.