Kit Carson County, CO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Kit Carson County has experienced 7 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Kit Carson County's highest-rated hazards are hail, winter weather, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 287 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Kit Carson County has been designated in 7 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including biological (2), flood (1), coastal storm (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 1977 | Drought | Drought |
| 1965 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Severe Storms & Flooding |
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 | 42.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 20.3 | 23 | 0 | $154K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 29.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 5.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 57.5 | 33 | 0 | $60K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 90.5 | 231 | 0 | $12K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 55.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 80 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 17.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 79.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 23.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 37.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 4.7 | 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
Kit Carson County ranks in the 68th 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 | 68th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 58th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 92nd | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 58th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 46th | 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 | 36th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 38th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 49.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 287 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 151 in 2016–20 vs 136 in 2021–25 (-10% — relatively stable).
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 Kit Carson County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Kit Carson County, Colorado are hail, winter weather, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Kit Carson County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Kit Carson County has received 7 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Kit Carson County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Kit Carson County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes in 2023.
How does Kit Carson County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Yuma County, CO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Wallace County, KS has the lowest (Very Low). Kit Carson County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Kit Carson County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Kit Carson 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. Kit Carson County's composite score of 33 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 33% of US counties.