Los Alamos County, NM
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Los Alamos County has experienced 10 federally declared disasters since 2000, most recently Wildfires, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Mudflows, And Debris Flows in 2022. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Los Alamos County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, landslide, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (1st 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. Los Alamos County has been designated in 10 declarations since 2000, covering 4 disaster types including fire (4), flood (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Fire | Wildfires, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Mudflows, And Debris Flows |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2014 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2012 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2012 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2011 | Fire | Las Conchas Fire |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2000 | Fire | Severe Forest Fire |
| 2000 | Fire | Severe Fire Threats |
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 Low | 83.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 11.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 50.3 | 2 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 6.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 3.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 11.1 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 49 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 1.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 6.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 37 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 66 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 8.6 | — | — | — |
| 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
Los Alamos County ranks in the 1st percentile (Very 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 | 1st | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 0th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 3rd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 66th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 8th | Very 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 | 84th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 88th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 39.3% | — |
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 Los Alamos County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Los Alamos County, New Mexico are wildfire, landslide, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Los Alamos County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Los Alamos County has received 10 federal disaster declarations since 2000, including declarations in 2022. The most common disaster type on record is fire (4 declarations).
Has Los Alamos County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Los Alamos County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Wildfires, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Mudflows, And Debris Flows in 2022.
How does Los Alamos County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Bernalillo County, NM has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Mora County, NM has the lowest (Very Low). Los Alamos County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Los Alamos County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Los Alamos 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. Los Alamos County's composite score of 4 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 4% of US counties.