Pend Oreille County, WA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Pend Oreille County has experienced 21 federally declared disasters since 1974, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Pend Oreille County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, wildfire, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Pend Oreille County has been designated in 21 declarations since 1974, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (6), flood (5), fire (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2021 | Fire | Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2021 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides |
| 2016 | Fire | Wildfires And Mudslides |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2015 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Record And Near Record Snow |
Showing the 10 most recent of 21 total declarations since 1974.
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 | 76.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 54.3 | 5 | 0 | $8.3M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 27.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 32.8 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 5.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 2.6 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 22 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 52.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 34 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 44.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 15.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 13.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 90 | 2 | 0 | $201K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 42 | — | — | — |
| 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
Pend Oreille County ranks in the 43rd percentile (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 | 43rd | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 45th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 42nd | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 43rd | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 43rd | 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 | 69th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 74th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 82.0% | — |
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 Pend Oreille County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Pend Oreille County, Washington are landslide, wildfire, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Pend Oreille County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Pend Oreille County has received 21 federal disaster declarations since 1974, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (6 declarations).
Has Pend Oreille County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Pend Oreille County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1974.
How does Pend Oreille County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Spokane County, WA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Boundary County, ID has the lowest (Very Low). Pend Oreille County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Pend Oreille County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Pend Oreille 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. Pend Oreille County's composite score of 28 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 28% of US counties.