Inyo County, CA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Inyo County has experienced 16 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Tropical Storm Hilary in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Inyo County's highest-rated hazards are heat wave, avalanche, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 71% 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. Inyo County has been designated in 16 declarations since 1967, covering 6 disaster types including flood (7), severe storm (3), hurricane (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Hilary |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2011 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Debris And Mud Flows |
| 2007 | Fire | Inyo Fire Complex |
Showing the 10 most recent of 16 total declarations since 1967.
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 | 83.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 61.6 | 136 | 0 | $524.4M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 94.3 | 652 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 97.8 | 54 | 11 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 2.9 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 1.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 49.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 2.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 33.9 | 1 | 0 | $1K |
| Drought | Very Low | 23.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 82.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very High | 96.5 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 66.4 | — | — | — |
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
Inyo County ranks in the 61st 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 | 61st | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 42nd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 52nd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 79th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 77th | 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 | 69th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 74th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 45.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 190 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 70 in 2016–20 vs 120 in 2021–25 (+71% — 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 Inyo County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Inyo County, California are heat wave, avalanche, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Inyo County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Inyo County has received 16 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is flood (7 declarations).
Has Inyo County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Inyo County include Tropical Storm Hilary (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1967.
How does Inyo County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Fresno County, CA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Esmeralda County, NV has the lowest (Very Low). Inyo County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Inyo County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Inyo 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. Inyo County's composite score of 79 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 79% of US counties.