Kanabec County, MN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Kanabec County has experienced 11 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2022. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Kanabec County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, wildfire, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (26th 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. Kanabec County has been designated in 11 declarations since 1965, covering 5 disaster types including flood (5), severe storm (2), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 1976 | Drought | Drought |
| 1972 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1969 | Flood | Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 11 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 | Very Low | 63.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 34.5 | 3 | 0 | $260K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 1.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 26.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 38 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 50.9 | 14 | 0 | $65K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 27.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 18.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 24.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 65.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 40.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 33.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 40.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Kanabec County ranks in the 26th percentile (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 | 26th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 31st | Low |
| Household characteristics | 13th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 12th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 56th | 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 | 48th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 48th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 82.8% | — |
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 Kanabec County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Kanabec County, Minnesota are cold wave, wildfire, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Kanabec County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Kanabec County has received 11 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2022. The most common disaster type on record is flood (5 declarations).
Has Kanabec County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Kanabec County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2022.
How does Kanabec County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Pine County, MN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Isanti County, MN has the lowest (Very Low). Kanabec County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Kanabec County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Kanabec 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. Kanabec County's composite score of 21 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 21% of US counties.