Klamath County, OR
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Klamath County has experienced 18 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Wrights Spring Fire in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Klamath County's highest-rated hazards are earthquake, wildfire, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (84th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Klamath County has been designated in 18 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including fire (11), biological (2), coastal storm (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fire | Wrights Spring Fire |
| 2024 | Fire | Copperfield Fire |
| 2023 | Fire | Golden Fire |
| 2021 | Fire | Bootleg Fire |
| 2020 | Fire | Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2020 | Fire | Two Four Two Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Fire | Pipeline Fire |
Showing the 10 most recent of 18 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 | Relatively Moderate | 94.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 78.5 | 4 | 0 | $20K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 94.5 | 2 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 69.9 | 5 | 1 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 4.3 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 25.3 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 6.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 92.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 21 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 68.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 47.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 24.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 59.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively Moderate | 81.9 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively Low | 91.5 | — | — | — |
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
Klamath County ranks in the 84th percentile (High) 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 | 84th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 83rd | High |
| Household characteristics | 91st | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 60th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 64th | 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 | 88th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 87th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 49.0% | — |
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 Klamath County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Klamath County, Oregon are earthquake, wildfire, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Klamath County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Klamath County has received 18 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is fire (11 declarations).
Has Klamath County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Klamath County include Wrights Spring Fire (2026), Copperfield Fire (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Klamath County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Douglas County, OR has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Lake County, OR has the lowest (Very Low). Klamath County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Klamath County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Klamath 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. Klamath County's composite score of 78 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 78% of US counties.