Forest County, WI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Forest County has experienced 7 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.
Forest County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, hail, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Forest County has been designated in 7 declarations since 1976, covering 5 disaster types including biological (2), severe storm (2), flood (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2000 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 1978 | Severe Storm | Winds, Hail & Rain |
| 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 | 13.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 20.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 1.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 7.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 22 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 45.7 | 10 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 18.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 39.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 2.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 95.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 40.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 17.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 13.9 | 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
Forest County ranks in the 38th percentile (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 | 38th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 46th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 22nd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 55th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 37th | 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 | 9th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 9th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 88.8% | — |
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 Forest County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Forest 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 Forest County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Forest County has received 7 federal disaster declarations since 1976, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Forest County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Forest County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Forest 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 Langlade County, WI has the lowest (Relatively Low). Forest County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Forest County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Forest 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. Forest County's composite score of 47 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 47% of US counties.