Harney County, OR
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Harney County has experienced 8 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Falls Fire in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Harney County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, landslide, and volcanic activity, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (80th 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. Harney County has been designated in 8 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including fire (2), biological (2), coastal storm (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Fire | Falls Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2007 | Fire | Egley Fire Complex |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 1977 | Drought | Drought |
| 1965 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
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 | 95.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 28.5 | 4 | 0 | $1.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 31.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 25 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 2.5 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 3.6 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 1.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 59 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 7.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 2.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 35.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 19.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 74.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | 71.5 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 72.6 | — | — | — |
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
Harney County ranks in the 80th percentile (High) 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 | 80th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 57th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 72nd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 43rd | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 99th | High |
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 | 97th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 96th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 68.8% | — |
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 Harney County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Harney County, Oregon are wildfire, landslide, and volcanic activity. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Harney County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Harney County has received 8 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is fire (2 declarations).
Has Harney County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Harney County include Falls Fire (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Harney County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Canyon County, ID has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Lake County, OR has the lowest (Very Low). Harney County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Harney County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Harney 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. Harney County's composite score of 24 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 24% of US counties.