Gilliam County, OR
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Gilliam County has experienced 12 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Wildfires in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Gilliam County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, avalanche, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Gilliam County has been designated in 12 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (3), flood (3), fire (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2024 | Fire | Lone Rock Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 1997 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Land And Mudslides, Flooding |
| 1996 | Flood | High Winds, Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 1977 | Drought | Drought |
Showing the 10 most recent of 12 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 | Relatively Low | 88.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 27.9 | 9 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 12.9 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 1.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 5.5 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 5.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 9.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 13 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 10.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 27.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 15.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 55.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 62.9 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 51.1 | — | — | — |
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
Gilliam County ranks in the 53rd percentile (Moderate) 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 | 53rd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 64th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 29th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 46th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 53rd | Moderate |
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 | 98th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 96th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 63.0% | — |
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 Gilliam County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Gilliam County, Oregon are wildfire, avalanche, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Gilliam County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Gilliam County has received 12 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (3 declarations).
Has Gilliam County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Gilliam County include Wildfires (2025), Lone Rock Fire (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Gilliam County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Klickitat County, WA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Sherman County, OR has the lowest (Very Low). Gilliam County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Gilliam County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Gilliam 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. Gilliam County's composite score of 3 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 3% of US counties.