Garfield County, UT
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Garfield County has experienced 7 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Mammoth Fire in 2021. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Garfield County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, lightning, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 89% 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. Garfield County has been designated in 7 declarations since 1977, covering 5 disaster types including biological (2), flood (2), fire (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Fire | Mammoth Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1983 | Flood | Severe Storms, Landslides & Flooding |
| 1977 | 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 | Relatively Low | 78.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 48.8 | 68 | 1 | $136K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 64.1 | 3 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 82.5 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 2.4 | 3 | 0 | $300K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 1.2 | 6 | 0 | $8K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 4.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 86.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 8.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 3.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 89.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 35.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 96.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively Moderate | 85.7 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 75.9 | — | — | — |
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 34th 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 | 34th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 46th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 36th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 34th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 25th | 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 | 63rd | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 73rd | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 62.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 78 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 27 in 2016–20 vs 51 in 2021–25 (+89% — 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, Utah are landslide, lightning, and winter weather. 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 7 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2021. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 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 Mammoth Fire in 2021.
How does Garfield County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Kane County, UT has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Piute County, UT 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 38 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 38% of US counties.