Fremont County, IA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Fremont County has experienced 19 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Fremont County's highest-rated hazards are drought, landslide, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 67 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (1st 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. Fremont County has been designated in 19 declarations since 1965, covering 5 disaster types including flood (9), severe storm (5), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
| 2008 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 19 total declarations since 1965.
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 | 36.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 18.4 | 15 | 1 | $36.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 13.3 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 51.8 | 10 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 45.7 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 68.2 | 35 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 26.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 28.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 32.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 31.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 11.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 79.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 68.7 | 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
Fremont County ranks in the 1st 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 | 1st | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 3rd | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 19th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 15th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 1st | 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 | 43rd | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 45th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 43.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 67 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 34 in 2016–20 vs 33 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 Fremont County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Fremont County, Iowa are drought, landslide, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Fremont County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Fremont County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (9 declarations).
Has Fremont County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Fremont County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Fremont County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Page County, IA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Nemaha County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Fremont County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Fremont County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Fremont 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. Fremont County's composite score of 15 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 15% of US counties.