Kalawao County, HI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Kalawao County has experienced 2 federally declared disasters since 1992, most recently Covid-19 Pandemic in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Kalawao County's highest-rated hazards are earthquake, wildfire, and coastal flooding, with its top risk rated "Very Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (19th 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. Kalawao County has been designated in 2 declarations since 1992, covering 2 disaster types including biological (1), hurricane (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 1992 | Hurricane | Hurricane Iniki |
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 | 19.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 0.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 18.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 26.5 | 21 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 10.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 0.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 0.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | No Rating | 0 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 0.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Very Low | 10.8 | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 18.2 | — | — | — |
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
Kalawao County ranks in the 19th 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 | 19th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 10th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 6th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 97th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 40th | 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 | 86th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 89th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 59.5% | — |
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 Kalawao County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Kalawao County, Hawaii are earthquake, wildfire, and coastal flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Kalawao County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Kalawao County has received 2 federal disaster declarations since 1992, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is biological (1 declaration).
Has Kalawao County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Kalawao County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 Pandemic in 2020.
How does Kalawao County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, San Francisco County, CA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very High) and Aleutians East Borough, AK has the lowest (Very Low). Kalawao County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Kalawao County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Kalawao 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. Kalawao County's composite score of 0 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 0% of US counties.