Morrow County, OR
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Morrow County has experienced 10 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Lone Rock Fire in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Morrow County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, ice storm, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (77th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Morrow County has been designated in 10 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including fire (2), biological (2), severe storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Fire | Lone Rock Fire |
| 2024 | Fire | Battle Mountain Fire Complex |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 1997 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Land And Mudslides, Flooding |
| 1996 | Flood | High Winds, Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 1977 | Drought | Drought |
| 1965 | 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 Moderate | 92 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 40.1 | 3 | 0 | $5K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 57.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 50.3 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 4.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 37.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 13.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 41.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 78.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 31.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 15.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 21.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 71.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 47.1 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 63.2 | — | — | — |
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
Morrow County ranks in the 77th percentile (High) 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 | 77th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 61st | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 94th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 81st | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 56th | Moderate |
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 | 91st | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 90th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 56.5% | — |
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 Morrow County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Morrow County, Oregon are wildfire, ice storm, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Morrow County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Morrow County has received 10 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is fire (2 declarations).
Has Morrow County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Morrow County include Lone Rock Fire (2024), Battle Mountain Fire Complex (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Morrow County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Benton County, WA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Gilliam County, OR has the lowest (Very Low). Morrow County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Morrow County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Morrow 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. Morrow County's composite score of 26 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 26% of US counties.