Mora County, NM
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Mora County has experienced 20 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Las Tusas Fire in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Mora County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, landslide, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 104% 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. Mora County has been designated in 20 declarations since 1965, covering 5 disaster types including fire (8), flood (5), severe storm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Fire | Las Tusas Fire |
| 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 |
| 2010 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2006 | Fire | Rivera Mesa Fire |
| 2006 | Fire | Ojo Feliz Fire |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Showing the 10 most recent of 20 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 | 95.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 50.7 | 40 | 1 | $2.8M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 26.1 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 2.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 4.9 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 12.2 | 39 | 0 | $8K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 2.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 38.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 1.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 8.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 28.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 62.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 75.9 | 2 | 0 | $150K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 22.1 | — | — | — |
| 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
Mora County ranks in the 62nd 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 | 62nd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 40th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 99th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 98th | High |
| 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 | 95th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 96th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 92.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 85 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 28 in 2016–20 vs 57 in 2021–25 (+104% — 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 Mora County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Mora County, New Mexico are wildfire, landslide, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Mora County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Mora County has received 20 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is fire (8 declarations).
Has Mora County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Mora County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Las Tusas Fire in 2023.
How does Mora County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Santa Fe County, NM has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Harding County, NM has the lowest (Very Low). Mora County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Mora County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Mora 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. Mora County's composite score of 39 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 39% of US counties.