Iron County, WI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Iron County has experienced 12 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Iron County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, winter weather, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 87% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (9th 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. Iron County has been designated in 12 declarations since 1969, covering 5 disaster types including flood (6), biological (2), severe storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| 2018 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001 | Flood | Flooding, Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| 2000 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 1999 | Flood | Wi-Flood-07/20/99 |
| 1976 | Drought | Drought |
Showing the 10 most recent of 12 total declarations since 1969.
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 | Very Low | 7.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 18.4 | 3 | 1 | $1K |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 21.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 0.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 11.4 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 12.2 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 18.1 | 19 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 14.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 62.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 11.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 72.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 45.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 15.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 11.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
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
Iron County ranks in the 9th 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 | 9th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 21st | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 20th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 8th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 8th | 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 | 10th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 10th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 81.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 26 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 23 in 2016–20 vs 3 in 2021–25 (-87% — 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 Iron County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Iron County, Wisconsin are cold wave, winter weather, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Iron County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Iron County has received 12 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (6 declarations).
Has Iron County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Iron County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Iron County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Sawyer County, WI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Gogebic County, MI has the lowest (Very Low). Iron County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Iron County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Iron 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. Iron County's composite score of 12 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 12% of US counties.