Ouachita Parish, LA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Ouachita Parish has experienced 44 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Ouachita Parish's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, heat wave, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 17% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (88th 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. Ouachita Parish has been designated in 44 declarations since 1965, covering 9 disaster types including hurricane (20), flood (7), severe storm (5).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Francine |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Zeta |
| 2021 | Coastal Storm | Tropical Storm Nicholas |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Ida |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Delta |
Showing the 10 most recent of 44 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 | Very Low | 56.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 87.1 | 51 | 3 | $35.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 89.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 96.6 | 83 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 96 | 8 | 0 | $251.0M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 79.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 86.5 | 48 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 90.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 54 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 97.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 70.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 87.6 | 1 | 0 | $35K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 46.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 62.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
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
Ouachita Parish ranks in the 88th 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 | 88th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 88th | High |
| Household characteristics | 57th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 81st | High |
| 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 | 37th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 36th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 42.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 191 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 88 in 2016–20 vs 103 in 2021–25 (+17% — 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 Ouachita Parish?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana are ice storm, heat wave, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Ouachita Parish received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Ouachita Parish has received 44 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (20 declarations).
Has Ouachita Parish had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Ouachita Parish include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Francine (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Ouachita Parish's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Lincoln Parish, LA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Caldwell Parish, LA has the lowest (Very Low). Ouachita Parish is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Ouachita Parish's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Ouachita Parish'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. Ouachita Parish's composite score of 88 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 88% of US counties.