Lake County, OR
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Lake County has experienced 12 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Bootleg Fire in 2021. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Lake County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, winter weather, and volcanic activity, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (85th 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 12 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including fire (5), biological (2), severe storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Fire | Patton Meadow Fire |
| 2021 | Fire | Bootleg Fire |
| 2020 | Fire | Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2020 | Fire | Brattain Fire |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2002 | Fire | Or - Winter Fire - 07/15/2002 |
| 1997 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Land And Mudslides, Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 12 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 | 89.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 37.6 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 72.9 | 6 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 24.3 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 6.8 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 77.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 9.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 11.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 21.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 20.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 44.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 39.2 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 76.5 | — | — | — |
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
Lake County ranks in the 85th 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 | 85th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 78th | High |
| Household characteristics | 67th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 49th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 97th | High |
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 | 87th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 69.1% | — |
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, Oregon are wildfire, winter weather, and volcanic activity. 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 12 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2021. The most common disaster type on record is fire (5 declarations).
Has Lake County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Lake County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Bootleg Fire in 2021.
How does Lake County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Jackson County, OR has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Harney County, OR 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 19 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 19% of US counties.