Las Animas County, CO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Las Animas County has experienced 13 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Las Animas County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, winter weather, and avalanche, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 88% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (91st 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. Las Animas County has been designated in 13 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including fire (4), snowstorm (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2007 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2007 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2006 | Fire | Mauricio Canyon Fire |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2002 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2002 | Fire | Co - Spring Fire - 06/03/02 |
| 2002 | Fire | Co - James John / Fisher - 06/03/02 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 13 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 | 91.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 36.3 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 26.7 | 16 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 25.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 14.1 | 8 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 40.5 | 80 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 5.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 79.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 8.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 40.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 67.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 49.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 70.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | 77.3 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | No Rating | 0 | — | — | — |
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
Las Animas County ranks in the 91st 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 | 91st | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 86th | High |
| Household characteristics | 91st | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 86th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 77th | 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 | 90th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 61.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 92 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 32 in 2016–20 vs 60 in 2021–25 (+88% — 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 Las Animas County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Las Animas County, Colorado are wildfire, winter weather, and avalanche. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Las Animas County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Las Animas County has received 13 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is fire (4 declarations).
Has Las Animas County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Las Animas County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Las Animas County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Pueblo County, CO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Bent County, CO has the lowest (Very Low). Las Animas County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Las Animas County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Las Animas 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. Las Animas County's composite score of 24 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 24% of US counties.