Palo Pinto County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Palo Pinto County has experienced 27 federally declared disasters since 1982, most recently Ross Fire in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Palo Pinto County's highest-rated hazards are hail, wildfire, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 66% 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. Palo Pinto County has been designated in 27 declarations since 1982, covering 7 disaster types including fire (12), severe storm (4), flood (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fire | Ross Fire |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding |
| 2011 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2011 | Fire | Pk West Fire |
| 2011 | Fire | Pk East Fire |
Showing the 10 most recent of 27 total declarations since 1982.
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 Moderate | 90.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 59.9 | 15 | 0 | $159K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 27.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 63.2 | 46 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 61.8 | 9 | 0 | $840K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 43.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 90.6 | 49 | 0 | $314K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 74.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 56.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 39 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 65.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 45.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 58.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 74.8 | 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
Palo Pinto 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 | 91st | High |
| Household characteristics | 75th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 63rd | 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 | 91st | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 92nd | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 67.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 117 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 44 in 2016–20 vs 73 in 2021–25 (+66% — 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 Palo Pinto County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Palo Pinto County, Texas are hail, wildfire, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Palo Pinto County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Palo Pinto County has received 27 federal disaster declarations since 1982, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is fire (12 declarations).
Has Palo Pinto County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Palo Pinto County include Ross Fire (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1982.
How does Palo Pinto County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Parker County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Stephens County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). Palo Pinto County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Palo Pinto County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Palo Pinto 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. Palo Pinto County's composite score of 55 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 55% of US counties.