Northwest Arctic Borough, AK
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Northwest Arctic Borough has experienced 7 federally declared disasters since 1994, most recently Severe Storms, Flooding, And Remnants Of Typhoon Halong in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Northwest Arctic Borough's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, landslide, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (87th 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. Northwest Arctic Borough has been designated in 7 declarations since 1994, covering 3 disaster types including severe storm (4), biological (2), flood (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Remnants Of Typhoon Halong |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Fall Storm, Tidal Surges, And Flooding |
| 2005 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Tidal Surges And Flooding |
| 1994 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And 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 | 65.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 3.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 65.7 | 19 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Insufficient Data | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 78.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 6.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 97.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 5.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 86.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 62.6 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 29.3 | — | — | — |
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
Northwest Arctic Borough ranks in the 87th 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 | 87th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 83rd | High |
| Household characteristics | 36th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 99th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 96th | 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 | 77th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 77th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 23.2% | — |
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 Northwest Arctic Borough?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska are cold wave, landslide, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Northwest Arctic Borough received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Northwest Arctic Borough has received 7 federal disaster declarations since 1994, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (4 declarations).
Has Northwest Arctic Borough had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Northwest Arctic Borough include Severe Storms, Flooding, And Remnants Of Typhoon Halong (2026), Severe Storm And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1994.
How does Northwest Arctic Borough's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and North Slope Borough, AK has the lowest (Very Low). Northwest Arctic Borough is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Northwest Arctic Borough's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Northwest Arctic Borough'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. Northwest Arctic Borough's composite score of 55 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 55% of US counties.