King County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
King County has experienced 17 federally declared disasters since 1993, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2021. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
King County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, drought, and hail, with its top risk rated "Very Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. King County has been designated in 17 declarations since 1993, covering 6 disaster types including fire (7), hurricane (3), severe ice storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2011 | Fire | Swenson Fire |
| 2008 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2008 | Fire | Eighty-Two Fire |
| 2006 | Fire | Extreme Wildfire Threat |
Showing the 10 most recent of 17 total declarations since 1993.
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 | 55.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 0.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 1.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 4.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 7.5 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 10.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 34.9 | 12 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 8.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 2.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 4.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 4.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 0.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 46.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 18.5 | 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
King County ranks in the 44th 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 | 44th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 68th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 81st | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 75th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 1st | Very 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 | 92nd | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 94th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 90.4% | — |
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 King County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in King County, Texas are wildfire, drought, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has King County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. King County has received 17 federal disaster declarations since 1993, including declarations in 2021. The most common disaster type on record is fire (7 declarations).
Has King County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for King County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Winter Storm in 2021.
How does King County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Knox County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Kent County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). King County is rated Very Low overall.
How is King County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
King 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. King County's composite score of 0 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 0% of US counties.