Laramie County, WY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Laramie County has experienced 5 federally declared disasters since 1979, most recently Happy Jack Fire in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Laramie County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, cold wave, and hail, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 39% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (25th 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. Laramie County has been designated in 5 declarations since 1979, covering 4 disaster types including biological (2), fire (1), flood (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Fire | Happy Jack Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 1985 | Flood | Severe Storms, Hail & Flooding |
| 1979 | Tornado | Severe Storms & Tornadoes |
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 | 91.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 67 | 39 | 0 | $60K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 70 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 19.2 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 88.4 | 18 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 92.5 | 387 | 0 | $1.4M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 71 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 97.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 91.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 93.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 89.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 27.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 42.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 1.6 | — | — | — |
| 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
Laramie County ranks in the 25th 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 | 25th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 27th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 21st | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 58th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 27th | 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 | 78th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 79th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 38.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 446 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 277 in 2016–20 vs 169 in 2021–25 (-39% — frequency decreasing).
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 Laramie County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Laramie County, Wyoming are winter weather, cold wave, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Laramie County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Laramie County has received 5 federal disaster declarations since 1979, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Laramie County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Laramie County include Happy Jack Fire (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1979.
How does Laramie County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Weld County, CO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Banner County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Laramie County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Laramie County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Laramie 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. Laramie County's composite score of 77 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 77% of US counties.