Lake County, MT
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Lake County has experienced 8 federally declared disasters since 2000, most recently Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Lake County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, wildfire, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (75th 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. Lake County has been designated in 8 declarations since 2000, covering 5 disaster types including biological (2), flood (2), fire (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Straight-Line Winds | Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2014 | Flood | Ice Jams And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2000 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2000 | Fire | Mt - Northwestern Zone 1 Fire Complex |
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 | 92.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 57.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 92.3 | 26 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 38.7 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 3.3 | 1 | 0 | $2K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 11.2 | 12 | 0 | $6K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 11.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 94.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 72.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 85.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 37.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 24 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 90.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively High | 91.4 | — | — | — |
| 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
Lake County ranks in the 75th 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 | 75th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 81st | High |
| Household characteristics | 86th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 73rd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 32nd | 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 | 89th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 89th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 73.9% | — |
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, Montana are winter weather, wildfire, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Lake County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Lake County has received 8 federal disaster declarations since 2000, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Lake County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Lake County include Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 2000.
How does Lake County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Flathead County, MT has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Mineral County, MT has the lowest (Very Low). Lake County is rated Relatively 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 68 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 68% of US counties.