Johnson County, WY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Johnson County has experienced 7 federally declared disasters since 1978, most recently Wildfires in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Johnson County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, landslide, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 57% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (17th 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. Johnson County has been designated in 7 declarations since 1978, covering 4 disaster types including fire (2), biological (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2024 | Fire | House Draw Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2015 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides |
| 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 | 87.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 36.9 | 8 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 57.7 | 9 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 6.7 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 15.6 | 4 | 0 | $12K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 46.5 | 44 | 0 | $10K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 14.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 66.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 6.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 39.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 25.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 19.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 74.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 26 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Johnson County ranks in the 17th 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 | 17th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 30th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 5th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 33rd | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 29th | 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 | 83rd | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 83rd | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 67.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 57 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 40 in 2016–20 vs 17 in 2021–25 (-57% — 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 Johnson County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Johnson County, Wyoming are wildfire, landslide, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Johnson County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Johnson County has received 7 federal disaster declarations since 1978, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is fire (2 declarations).
Has Johnson County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Johnson County include Wildfires (2025), House Draw Fire (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1978.
How does Johnson 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 Washakie County, WY has the lowest (Very Low). Johnson County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Johnson County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Johnson 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. Johnson County's composite score of 19 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 19% of US counties.