Okanogan County, WA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Okanogan County has experienced 42 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Wildfires in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Okanogan County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, landslide, and avalanche, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 39% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (95th 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. Okanogan County has been designated in 42 declarations since 1972, covering 6 disaster types including fire (29), severe storm (6), flood (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2026 | Fire | Sinlahekin Fire |
| 2026 | Fire | Kaiser Canyon Fire |
| 2024 | Fire | Swawilla Fire |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Fire | Eagle Bluff Fire |
| 2022 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding |
| 2021 | Fire | Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2021 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Showing the 10 most recent of 42 total declarations since 1972.
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 High | 99.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 89.1 | 37 | 0 | $20.4M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 86.2 | 13 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 72.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 6.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 81.2 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 23.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 71.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 85.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 63.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 20.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 94.9 | 25 | 0 | $193K |
| Avalanche | Relatively High | 89.8 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 76.9 | — | — | — |
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
Okanogan County ranks in the 95th 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 | 95th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 88th | High |
| Household characteristics | 99th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 75th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 76th | 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 | 99th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 99th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 71.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 66 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 41 in 2016–20 vs 25 in 2021–25 (-39% — frequency decreasing).
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 Okanogan County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Okanogan County, Washington are wildfire, landslide, and avalanche. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Okanogan County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Okanogan County has received 42 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is fire (29 declarations).
Has Okanogan County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Okanogan County include Wildfires (2026), Sinlahekin Fire (2026), Kaiser Canyon Fire (2026), Swawilla Fire (2024), Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1972.
How does Okanogan County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Chelan County, WA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Ferry County, WA has the lowest (Relatively Low). Okanogan County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Okanogan County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Okanogan 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. Okanogan County's composite score of 89 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 89% of US counties.