Liberty County, MT
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Liberty County has experienced 10 federally declared disasters since 1986, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Liberty County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, winter weather, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Liberty County has been designated in 10 declarations since 1986, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (4), biological (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2000 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 1996 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Ice Jams, Soil Saturation |
| 1986 | Flood | Heavy Rains, Landslides & Flooding |
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 | 17.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 11.9 | 2 | 0 | $50K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 15.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 8.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 3.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 12.3 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 3.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 47.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 3.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 64.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 3.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 39.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 8.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 6.1 | — | — | — |
| 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
Liberty County ranks in the 66th percentile (Moderate) 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 | 66th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 49th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 94th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 0th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 78th | 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 | 20th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 23rd | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 57.6% | — |
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 Liberty County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Liberty County, Montana are cold wave, winter weather, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Liberty County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Liberty County has received 10 federal disaster declarations since 1986, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (4 declarations).
Has Liberty County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Liberty County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Liberty County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Cascade County, MT has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Toole County, MT has the lowest (Very Low). Liberty County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Liberty County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Liberty 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. Liberty County's composite score of 6 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 6% of US counties.