Hot Springs County, WY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Hot Springs County has experienced 4 federally declared disasters since 1978, most recently Red Canyon Fire in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Hot Springs County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, avalanche, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (19th 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. Hot Springs County has been designated in 4 declarations since 1978, covering 3 disaster types including biological (2), fire (1), flood (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Fire | Red Canyon Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 1978 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding & Mudslides |
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 Low | 66.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 39.4 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 60.8 | 6 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 5.4 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 11.4 | 1 | 0 | $50K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 18.5 | 10 | 0 | $1.0M |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 5.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 2.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 4.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 28.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 38.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 16.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 95 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | 77.2 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 13.4 | — | — | — |
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
Hot Springs County ranks in the 19th 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 | 19th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 26th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 28th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 31st | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 18th | Very 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 | 58th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 66th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 47.7% | — |
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 Hot Springs County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Hot Springs County, Wyoming are landslide, avalanche, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Hot Springs County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Hot Springs County has received 4 federal disaster declarations since 1978, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Hot Springs County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Hot Springs County include Red Canyon Fire (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1978.
How does Hot Springs County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Natrona County, WY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Johnson County, WY has the lowest (Very Low). Hot Springs County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Hot Springs County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Hot Springs 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. Hot Springs County's composite score of 16 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 16% of US counties.