Jackson County, OR
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Jackson County has experienced 21 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Fielder Mountain Fire in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Jackson County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, earthquake, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 44% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (70th 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. Jackson County has been designated in 21 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including fire (13), biological (2), severe storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fire | Fielder Mountain Fire |
| 2025 | Fire | Upper Applegate Road Fire |
| 2020 | Fire | Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2020 | Fire | South Obenchain Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2020 | Fire | Almeda Glendower Fire |
| 2018 | Fire | Ramsey Canyon Fire |
| 2018 | Fire | Garner Fire Complex |
Showing the 10 most recent of 21 total declarations since 1965.
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 | 99 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 93.1 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 97.4 | 3 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 94.9 | 13 | 2 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 6.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 43.4 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 27.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 96.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 19.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 8.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 60.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 17 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 86.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 32.5 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 77.5 | — | — | — |
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
Jackson County ranks in the 70th 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 | 70th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 59th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 61st | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 55th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 81st | 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 | 99th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 100th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 44.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 25 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 16 in 2016–20 vs 9 in 2021–25 (-44% — 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 Jackson County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Jackson County, Oregon are wildfire, earthquake, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Jackson County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Jackson County has received 21 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is fire (13 declarations).
Has Jackson County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Jackson County include Fielder Mountain Fire (2026), Upper Applegate Road Fire (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Jackson County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Del Norte County, CA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Klamath County, OR has the lowest (Relatively Low). Jackson County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Jackson County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Jackson 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. Jackson County's composite score of 93 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 93% of US counties.