Hawaii County, HI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Hawaii County has experienced 32 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Hawaii County's highest-rated hazards are volcanic activity, earthquake, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 36% 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. Hawaii County has been designated in 32 declarations since 1973, covering 9 disaster types including fire (12), hurricane (5), volcanic eruption (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2026 | Fire | Kawaihae Road Fire |
| 2026 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Lala |
| 2023 | Fire | Wildfires And High Winds |
| 2023 | Fire | Mauna Kea Beach Fire |
| 2023 | Fire | Kohala Ranch Fire |
| 2021 | Fire | Mana Road Fire |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Douglas |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 32 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 High | 98.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 98.9 | 55 | 2 | $23.3M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | 50.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively High | 99.1 | 4046 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 7.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 68.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 4.3 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 2.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 1.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 7.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 2.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 97.6 | 4 | 0 | $18K |
| Drought | Very Low | 27.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 84.1 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Relatively Moderate | 86.2 | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very High | 100 | — | — | — |
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
Hawaii County ranks in the 64th 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 | 64th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 45th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 79th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 96th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 49th | 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 | 81st | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 84th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 61.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 59 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 25 in 2016–20 vs 34 in 2021–25 (+36% — 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 Hawaii County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Hawaii County, Hawaii are volcanic activity, earthquake, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Hawaii County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Hawaii County has received 32 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is fire (12 declarations).
Has Hawaii County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Hawaii County include Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2026), Kawaihae Road Fire (2026), Hurricane Lala (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Hawaii County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, San Francisco County, CA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very High) and Kalawao County, HI has the lowest (Very Low). Hawaii County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Hawaii County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Hawaii 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. Hawaii County's composite score of 99 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 99% of US counties.