Grand County, CO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Grand County has experienced 8 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Wildfires in 2021. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Grand County's highest-rated hazards are avalanche, landslide, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (16th 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. Grand County has been designated in 8 declarations since 1977, covering 5 disaster types including fire (3), biological (2), coastal storm (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2021 | Fire | East Troublesome Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2002 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 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 | 78.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 62.4 | 14 | 0 | $120K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 46.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 26.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 75.6 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 15.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 31.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 16 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 81.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 26.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 93.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very High | 95 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 32.9 | — | — | — |
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
Grand County ranks in the 16th 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 | 16th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 39th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 1st | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 49th | 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 | 62nd | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 68th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 74.0% | — |
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 Grand County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Grand County, Colorado are avalanche, landslide, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Grand County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Grand County has received 8 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2021. The most common disaster type on record is fire (3 declarations).
Has Grand County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Grand County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Wildfires in 2021.
How does Grand County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Boulder County, CO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Gilpin County, CO has the lowest (Very Low). Grand County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Grand County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Grand 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. Grand County's composite score of 50 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 50% of US counties.