Lake County, CO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Lake County has experienced 6 federally declared disasters since 2002, most recently Willow Fire in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Lake County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, avalanche, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (12th 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. Lake County has been designated in 6 declarations since 2002, covering 4 disaster types including fire (2), biological (2), flood (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fire | Willow Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002 | Fire | Wildfires |
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 | 23.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 8.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 29.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 8.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 17.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 3.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 18.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 3.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 3.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 38.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 94.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively High | 88.6 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 27 | — | — | — |
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
Lake County ranks in the 12th percentile (Very 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 | 12th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 23rd | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 2nd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 78th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 14th | 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 | 41st | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 50th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 44.7% | — |
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 Lake County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Lake County, Colorado are landslide, avalanche, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Lake County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Lake County has received 6 federal disaster declarations since 2002, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is fire (2 declarations).
Has Lake County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Lake County include Willow Fire (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 2002.
How does Lake County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Eagle County, CO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Park County, CO has the lowest (Very Low). Lake County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Lake County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Lake 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. Lake County's composite score of 6 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 6% of US counties.