Park County, MT
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Park County has experienced 14 federally declared disasters since 1996, most recently Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Park County's highest-rated hazards are avalanche, landslide, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (16th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Park County has been designated in 14 declarations since 1996, covering 6 disaster types including flood (5), severe storm (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Straight-Line Winds | Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2023 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2022 | Flood | Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2019 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2014 | Flood | Ice Jams And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Showing the 10 most recent of 14 total declarations since 1996.
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 | 93.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 55.6 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 76.4 | 3 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 17.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 8.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 43.5 | 16 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 9.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 82.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 11.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 69.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 60.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 23.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 96.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very High | 99.6 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 20.2 | — | — | — |
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
Park County ranks in the 16th percentile (Very low) 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 | 16th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 33rd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 2nd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 19th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 40th | 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 | 88th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 91st | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 64.7% | — |
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 Park County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Park County, Montana are avalanche, landslide, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Park County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Park County has received 14 federal disaster declarations since 1996, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is flood (5 declarations).
Has Park County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Park County include Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1996.
How does Park County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Gallatin County, MT has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Sweet Grass County, MT has the lowest (Very Low). Park County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Park County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Park 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. Park County's composite score of 66 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 66% of US counties.