Grant County, NE
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Grant County has experienced 7 federally declared disasters since 2005, most recently Wildfires in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Grant County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, drought, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Very Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 27% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (17th 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. Grant County has been designated in 7 declarations since 2005, covering 5 disaster types including fire (2), biological (2), severe storm (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2026 | Fire | Morrill-Cottonwood Fire |
| 2021 | 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 |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuees |
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 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 0.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 2.4 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 2.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 6.4 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 13.5 | 23 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 2.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 10.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 2.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 7.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 6.7 | 1 | 0 | $2K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 32.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 23 | 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
Grant County ranks in the 17th 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 | 17th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 29th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 8th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 1st | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 37th | 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 | 76th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 85.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 25 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 11 in 2016–20 vs 14 in 2021–25 (+27% — 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 Grant County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Grant County, Nebraska are wildfire, drought, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Grant County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Grant County has received 7 federal disaster declarations since 2005, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is fire (2 declarations).
Has Grant County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Grant County include Wildfires (2026), Morrill-Cottonwood Fire (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 2005.
How does Grant County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Keith County, NE has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and McPherson County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Grant County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Grant County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Grant 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. Grant County's composite score of 0 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 0% of US counties.