Morrill County, NE
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Morrill County has experienced 17 federally declared disasters since 2001, most recently Wildfires in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Morrill County's highest-rated hazards are drought, hail, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 44% 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. Morrill County has been designated in 17 declarations since 2001, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (10), fire (2), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2026 | Fire | Morrill-Cottonwood Fire |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 17 total declarations since 2001.
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 | 63.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 16.3 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 21 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 4.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 25.2 | 6 | 0 | $2.5M |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 86.9 | 88 | 0 | $100K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 17.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 47.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 51.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 44.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 60.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively High | 97.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 12.6 | 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
Morrill County ranks in the 31st percentile (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 | 31st | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 43rd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 56th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 52nd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 9th | 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 | 74th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 76th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 50.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 100 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 41 in 2016–20 vs 59 in 2021–25 (+44% — 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 Morrill County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Morrill County, Nebraska are drought, hail, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Morrill County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Morrill County has received 17 federal disaster declarations since 2001, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (10 declarations).
Has Morrill County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Morrill County include Wildfires (2026), Morrill-Cottonwood Fire (2026), Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 2001.
How does Morrill County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Scotts Bluff County, NE has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Banner County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Morrill County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Morrill County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Morrill 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. Morrill County's composite score of 28 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 28% of US counties.