Josephine County, OR
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Josephine County has experienced 25 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.
Josephine County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, earthquake, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (78th 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. Josephine County has been designated in 25 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including fire (13), severe storm (5), flood (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fire | Fielder Mountain Fire |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Fire | Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Fire | Slater Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Fire | Hugo Road Fire |
| 2018 | Fire | Garner Fire Complex |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 25 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 | 99.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 90.2 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 95.2 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 89.4 | 13 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 4.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 18.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 11.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 80 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 13 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 3.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 29.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 14.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 85.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 45.2 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 12.4 | — | — | — |
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
Josephine County ranks in the 78th percentile (High) 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 | 78th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 82nd | High |
| Household characteristics | 81st | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 44th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 64th | Moderate |
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 | 100th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 100th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 65.6% | — |
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 Josephine County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Josephine County, Oregon are wildfire, earthquake, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Josephine County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Josephine County has received 25 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is fire (13 declarations).
Has Josephine County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Josephine County include Fielder Mountain Fire (2026), Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Josephine 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 Curry County, OR has the lowest (Relatively Moderate). Josephine County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Josephine County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Josephine 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. Josephine County's composite score of 90 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 90% of US counties.