Grant County, NM
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Grant County has experienced 13 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Trout Fire in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Grant County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, inland flooding, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 28 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (74th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Grant County has been designated in 13 declarations since 1973, covering 5 disaster types including flood (5), fire (4), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Fire | Trout Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2012 | Fire | Whitewater-Baldy Fire Complex |
| 2011 | Fire | Quail Ridge Fire |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2000 | Fire | Severe Fire Threats |
| 1993 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1985 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 13 total declarations since 1973.
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 Moderate | 96.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 83.7 | 15 | 2 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 50.4 | 27 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 58.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 6.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 7.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 26.5 | 13 | 0 | $5K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 3.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 82.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 16.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 3.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 79.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 38.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 70.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 49.1 | — | — | — |
| 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 74th 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 | 74th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 67th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 69th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 89th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 61st | 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 | 87th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 90th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 56.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 28 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 14 in 2016–20 vs 14 in 2021–25 (0% — relatively stable).
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, New Mexico are wildfire, inland flooding, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Grant County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Grant County has received 13 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is flood (5 declarations).
Has Grant County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Grant County include Trout Fire (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Grant County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Graham County, AZ has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Hidalgo County, NM has the lowest (Very Low). Grant County is rated Relatively 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 74 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 74% of US counties.