Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Ketchikan Gateway Borough has experienced 3 federally declared disasters since 2020, most recently Landslides in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Ketchikan Gateway Borough's highest-rated hazards are landslide, avalanche, and volcanic activity, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Ketchikan Gateway Borough has been designated in 3 declarations since 2020, covering 2 disaster types including biological (2), mud/landslide (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Mud/Landslide | Landslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
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 | 10.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 4.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 26 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 31.2 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Insufficient Data | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 53.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 19.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | No Rating | 0 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 4.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 87 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively Moderate | 80.4 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Very Low | 36.9 | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 80.1 | — | — | — |
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
Ketchikan Gateway Borough ranks in the 50th percentile (Moderate) 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 | 50th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 33rd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 10th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 76th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 91st | High |
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 | 5th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 4th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 44.4% | — |
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 Ketchikan Gateway Borough?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska are landslide, avalanche, and volcanic activity. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Ketchikan Gateway Borough received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Ketchikan Gateway Borough has received 3 federal disaster declarations since 2020, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Ketchikan Gateway Borough had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Ketchikan Gateway Borough include Landslides (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 2020.
How does Ketchikan Gateway Borough's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Sitka City and Borough, AK has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Wrangell City and Borough, AK has the lowest (Very Low). Ketchikan Gateway Borough is rated Very Low overall.
How is Ketchikan Gateway Borough's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Ketchikan Gateway 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. Ketchikan Gateway Borough's composite score of 2 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 2% of US counties.