Montrose County, CO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Montrose County has experienced 9 federally declared disasters since 1970, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Montrose County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, landslide, and avalanche, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 27 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Montrose County has been designated in 9 declarations since 1970, covering 5 disaster types including flood (3), biological (2), fire (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2002 | Fire | Co - Burn Canyon Fire - 07/15/02 |
| 1984 | Flood | Severe Storms, Mudslides, Landslides & Flooding |
| 1977 | Drought | Drought |
| 1973 | Flood | Flooding & Landslides |
| 1970 | Flood | Heavy Rains & 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 | 78.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 67.4 | 16 | 0 | $340K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 77.3 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 15.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 8.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 7.1 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 10.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 45 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 16.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 19.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 87.5 | 1 | 0 | $500K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 58.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 82.2 | 6 | 0 | $9K |
| Avalanche | Relatively Moderate | 79.7 | — | — | — |
| 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
Montrose County ranks in the 52nd 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 | 52nd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 60th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 73rd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 61st | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 16th | 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 | 72nd | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 80th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 49.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 27 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 6 in 2016–20 vs 21 in 2021–25 .
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 Montrose County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Montrose County, Colorado are lightning, landslide, and avalanche. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Montrose County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Montrose County has received 9 federal disaster declarations since 1970, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (3 declarations).
Has Montrose County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Montrose County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Montrose County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Mesa County, CO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and San Juan County, CO has the lowest (Very Low). Montrose County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Montrose County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Montrose 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. Montrose County's composite score of 49 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 49% of US counties.