Multnomah County, OR
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Multnomah County has experienced 12 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Landslides, And Mudslides in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Multnomah County's highest-rated hazards are earthquake, landslide, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Multnomah County has been designated in 12 declarations since 1965, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (4), flood (3), fire (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Fire | Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Fire | Eagle Creek Fire |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Record And Near Record Snow |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 1996 | Flood | High Winds, Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 12 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 Low | 67.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 95.5 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | 43.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively High | 99.6 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 96.8 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 47.4 | 3 | 0 | $36K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 1.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 65.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 85.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 91.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 91 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 45.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 12.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 96.9 | 5 | 1 | $39K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 18.4 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively Moderate | 93.5 | — | — | — |
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
Multnomah County ranks in the 59th 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 | 59th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 50th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 11th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 70th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 93rd | 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 | 65th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 69th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 6.4% | — |
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 Multnomah County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Multnomah County, Oregon are earthquake, landslide, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Multnomah County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Multnomah County has received 12 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (4 declarations).
Has Multnomah County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Multnomah County include Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Multnomah County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Washington County, OR has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Hood River County, OR has the lowest (Very Low). Multnomah County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Multnomah County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Multnomah 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. Multnomah County's composite score of 99 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 99% of US counties.