Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Kenai Peninsula Borough has experienced 21 federally declared disasters since 1987, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides in 2022. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Kenai Peninsula Borough's highest-rated hazards are avalanche, earthquake, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Kenai Peninsula Borough has been designated in 21 declarations since 1987, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (7), fire (3), biological (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2022 | Mud/Landslide | Landslide |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Earthquake | Earthquake |
| 2019 | Earthquake | Earthquake |
| 2018 | Coastal Storm | Severe Storm |
| 2015 | Fire | Card Street Fire |
| 2014 | Flood | Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 21 total declarations since 1987.
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 Moderate | 97.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 43.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 33.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively High | 98.7 | 1597 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Insufficient Data | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 0.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 2.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 93.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 25 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 14.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 14.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 12.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 97.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very High | 99.7 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Relatively Moderate | 81.5 | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively Low | 89.9 | — | — | — |
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
Kenai Peninsula Borough ranks in the 47th 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 | 47th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 53rd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 20th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 56th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 53rd | 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 | 78th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 79th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 84.0% | — |
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 Kenai Peninsula Borough?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska are avalanche, earthquake, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Kenai Peninsula Borough received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Kenai Peninsula Borough has received 21 federal disaster declarations since 1987, including declarations in 2022. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (7 declarations).
Has Kenai Peninsula Borough had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Kenai Peninsula Borough since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides in 2022.
How does Kenai Peninsula Borough's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Anchorage Municipality, AK has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Bristol Bay Borough, AK has the lowest (Very Low). Kenai Peninsula Borough is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Kenai Peninsula Borough's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Kenai Peninsula Borough'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. Kenai Peninsula Borough's composite score of 93 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 93% of US counties.