Nye County, NV
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Nye County has experienced 5 federally declared disasters since 2005, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Nye County's highest-rated hazards are heat wave, earthquake, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 131% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (80th 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. Nye County has been designated in 5 declarations since 2005, covering 3 disaster types including biological (2), snowstorm (2), hurricane (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005 | Snowstorm | Record And/Or Near Record Snow |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
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 | 80.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 81.9 | 28 | 0 | $661K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 91 | 76 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 97.1 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 1.5 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 8.7 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 44.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 69.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 10.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 83.8 | 2 | 0 | $10K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 47.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 59.9 | 2 | 0 | $3K |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | 72.1 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 41.4 | — | — | — |
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
Nye County ranks in the 80th 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 | 80th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 83rd | High |
| Household characteristics | 86th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 65th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 47th | 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 | 53rd | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 64th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 26.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 43 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 13 in 2016–20 vs 30 in 2021–25 (+131% — 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 Nye County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Nye County, Nevada are heat wave, earthquake, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Nye County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Nye County has received 5 federal disaster declarations since 2005, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Nye County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Nye County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Nye County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Inyo County, CA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Esmeralda County, NV has the lowest (Very Low). Nye County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Nye County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Nye 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. Nye County's composite score of 78 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 78% of US counties.