Grant County, OR
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Grant County has experienced 15 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.
Grant County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, landslide, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 38% 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. Grant County has been designated in 15 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including fire (7), biological (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2024 | Fire | Rail Ridge Fire |
| 2024 | Fire | Falls Fire |
| 2024 | Fire | Boneyard Fire |
| 2024 | Fire | Battle Mountain Fire Complex |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2015 | Fire | Canyon Creek Fire Complex |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Showing the 10 most recent of 15 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 Moderate | 93.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 50.2 | 5 | 0 | $1.4M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 23.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 29.4 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 2.3 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 12.1 | 11 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 5.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 50.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 15.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 14.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 75.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 13.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 85.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | 72.8 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 53.1 | — | — | — |
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
Grant County ranks in the 58th 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 | 58th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 73rd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 53rd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 34th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 42nd | 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 | 96th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 96th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 74.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 21 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 13 in 2016–20 vs 8 in 2021–25 (-38% — frequency decreasing).
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, Oregon are wildfire, landslide, and lightning. 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 15 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is fire (7 declarations).
Has Grant County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Grant County include Wildfires (2025), Rail Ridge Fire (2024), Falls Fire (2024), Boneyard Fire (2024), Battle Mountain Fire Complex (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Grant County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Umatilla County, OR has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Wheeler County, OR 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 32 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 32% of US counties.