La Plata County, CO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
La Plata County has experienced 10 federally declared disasters since 1970, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
La Plata County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, avalanche, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 20% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (26th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. La Plata County has been designated in 10 declarations since 1970, covering 5 disaster types including fire (4), biological (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2002 | Fire | Valley Fire |
| 2002 | Fire | Ute Pass Fire |
| 2002 | Fire | Missionary Ridge Fire |
| 1977 | Drought | Drought |
| 1973 | Flood | Flooding & Landslides |
| 1970 | Flood | Heavy Rains & 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 | Relatively Moderate | 97.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 81.4 | 12 | 0 | $3.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 70.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 6.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 15.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 6.3 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 10.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 64.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 21.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 85.2 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 47.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 87.8 | 13 | 0 | $4K |
| Avalanche | Relatively High | 88.5 | — | — | — |
| 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
La Plata County ranks in the 26th 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 | 26th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 30th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 1st | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 58th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 70th | 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 | 87th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 90th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 74.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 33 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 15 in 2016–20 vs 18 in 2021–25 (+20% — frequency increasing).
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 La Plata County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in La Plata County, Colorado are wildfire, avalanche, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has La Plata County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. La Plata County has received 10 federal disaster declarations since 1970, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is fire (4 declarations).
Has La Plata County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for La Plata County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does La Plata County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Montezuma County, CO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Hinsdale County, CO has the lowest (Very Low). La Plata County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is La Plata County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
La Plata 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. La Plata County's composite score of 75 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 75% of US counties.