Garfield County, NE
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Garfield County has experienced 14 federally declared disasters since 1994, most recently Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds in 2022. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Garfield County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, drought, and hail, with its top risk rated "Very Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 37% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (6th 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. Garfield County has been designated in 14 declarations since 1994, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (8), biological (2), snowstorm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2018 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
Showing the 10 most recent of 14 total declarations since 1994.
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 | 50 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 4.2 | 6 | 0 | $120K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 6.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 17.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 38.2 | 39 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 17.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 34.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 22.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 11.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 17 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 41.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 14.2 | 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
Garfield County ranks in the 6th 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 | 6th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 4th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 10th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 3rd | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 33rd | 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 | 69th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 74th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 61.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 45 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 19 in 2016–20 vs 26 in 2021–25 (+37% — frequency increasing).
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 Garfield County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Garfield County, Nebraska are wildfire, drought, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Garfield County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Garfield County has received 14 federal disaster declarations since 1994, including declarations in 2022. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (8 declarations).
Has Garfield County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Garfield County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds in 2022.
How does Garfield County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Valley County, NE has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Loup County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Garfield County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Garfield County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Garfield 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. Garfield County's composite score of 1 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 1% of US counties.