Mille Lacs County, MN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Mille Lacs County has experienced 10 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms And Flooding in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Mille Lacs County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, cold wave, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 40% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Mille Lacs County has been designated in 10 declarations since 1965, covering 5 disaster types including flood (5), biological (2), severe storm (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 1976 | Drought | Drought |
| 1972 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1969 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1965 | Flood | 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 | Relatively Low | 65.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 46.2 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 3.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 28.6 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 30.8 | 2 | 0 | $215K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 56.7 | 19 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 43.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 25.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 27.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 62.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 40.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 39.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 32.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Mille Lacs County ranks in the 54th 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 | 54th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 38th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 61st | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 35th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 76th | 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 | 54th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 54th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 69.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 24 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 15 in 2016–20 vs 9 in 2021–25 (-40% — 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 Mille Lacs County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Mille Lacs County, Minnesota are wildfire, cold wave, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Mille Lacs County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Mille Lacs County has received 10 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is flood (5 declarations).
Has Mille Lacs County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Mille Lacs County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms And Flooding in 2023.
How does Mille Lacs County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Morrison County, MN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Kanabec County, MN has the lowest (Very Low). Mille Lacs County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Mille Lacs County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Mille Lacs 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. Mille Lacs County's composite score of 29 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 29% of US counties.