Florence County, WI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Florence County has experienced 6 federally declared disasters since 1976, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Florence County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, hail, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (11th 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. Florence County has been designated in 6 declarations since 1976, covering 5 disaster types including biological (2), severe storm (1), hurricane (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1999 | Flood | Wi-Flood-07/20/99 |
| 1976 | Drought | Drought |
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 | Very Low | 8.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 11 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 0.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 4.7 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 11 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 45.1 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 8.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 18 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 0.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 97.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 18.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 13.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 9.3 | 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
Florence County ranks in the 11th 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 | 11th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 35th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 13th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 4th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 7th | 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 | 15th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 16th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 93.0% | — |
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 Florence County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Florence County, Wisconsin are cold wave, hail, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Florence County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Florence County has received 6 federal disaster declarations since 1976, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Florence County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Florence County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Florence County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Marinette County, WI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Menominee County, MI has the lowest (Relatively Low). Florence County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Florence County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Florence 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. Florence County's composite score of 54 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 54% of US counties.