Garden County, NE
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Garden County has experienced 13 federally declared disasters since 2001, most recently Wildfires in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Garden County's highest-rated hazards are drought, lightning, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 43% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Garden County has been designated in 13 declarations since 2001, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (5), flood (3), fire (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2026 | Fire | Morrill-Cottonwood Fire |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
Showing the 10 most recent of 13 total declarations since 2001.
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 | 62.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 2.8 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 8.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 3.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 14.1 | 4 | 0 | $750K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 56.8 | 74 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 12.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 21.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 4.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 17.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 63.6 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 74.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 10.1 | 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
Garden County ranks in the 42nd 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 | 42nd | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 55th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 95th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 13th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 5th | 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 | 73rd | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 75th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 63.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 83 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 53 in 2016–20 vs 30 in 2021–25 (-43% — 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 Garden County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Garden County, Nebraska are drought, lightning, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Garden County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Garden County has received 13 federal disaster declarations since 2001, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (5 declarations).
Has Garden County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Garden County include Wildfires (2026), Morrill-Cottonwood Fire (2026), Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 2001.
How does Garden County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Morrill County, NE has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Grant County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Garden County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Garden County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Garden 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. Garden County's composite score of 3 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 3% of US counties.