Ferry County, WA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Ferry County has experienced 24 federally declared disasters since 1974, most recently Wildfires in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Ferry County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, landslide, and volcanic activity, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 67% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (72nd 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. Ferry County has been designated in 24 declarations since 1974, covering 7 disaster types including fire (12), severe storm (5), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2026 | Fire | Modrite Fire |
| 2024 | Fire | Swawilla Fire |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2021 | Fire | Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Fire | Boyd'S Fire |
| 2017 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides |
| 2016 | Fire | Wildfires And Mudslides |
Showing the 10 most recent of 24 total declarations since 1974.
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 | 97.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 52.3 | 18 | 0 | $6.5M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 45.1 | 2 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 30.6 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 4.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 5.9 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 22 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 5.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 44.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 10.3 | 1 | 0 | $1K |
| Drought | Very Low | 13 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 96.9 | 6 | 0 | $5K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 35.7 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 54.4 | — | — | — |
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
Ferry County ranks in the 72nd 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 | 72nd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 64th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 59th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 65th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 75th | 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 | 98th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 97th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 90.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 28 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 21 in 2016–20 vs 7 in 2021–25 (-67% — 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 Ferry County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Ferry County, Washington are wildfire, landslide, and volcanic activity. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Ferry County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Ferry County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1974, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is fire (12 declarations).
Has Ferry County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Ferry County include Wildfires (2026), Modrite Fire (2026), Swawilla Fire (2024), Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1974.
How does Ferry County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Spokane County, WA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Pend Oreille County, WA has the lowest (Very Low). Ferry County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Ferry County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Ferry 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. Ferry County's composite score of 52 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 52% of US counties.