Pierce County, WA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Pierce County has experienced 26 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Pierce County's highest-rated hazards are earthquake, volcanic activity, and avalanche, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Pierce County has been designated in 26 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including flood (11), severe storm (8), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Fire | Sumner Grade Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2009 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, And Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Record And Near Record Snow |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Showing the 10 most recent of 26 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 | Relatively Low | 76.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 96.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 71.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively High | 99.6 | 14 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 97.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 41.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 16.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 41.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 84.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 84.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 90.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 89.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 12.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 97 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very High | 98.4 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Relatively Low | 49.2 | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively High | 99.3 | — | — | — |
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
Pierce County ranks in the 54th percentile (Moderate) 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 | 54th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 35th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 47th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 74th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 74th | Moderate |
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 | 71st | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 74th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 19.6% | — |
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 Pierce County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Pierce County, Washington are earthquake, volcanic activity, and avalanche. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Pierce County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Pierce County has received 26 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is flood (11 declarations).
Has Pierce County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Pierce County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Pierce County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, King County, WA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very High) and Mason County, WA has the lowest (Relatively Moderate). Pierce County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Pierce County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Pierce 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. Pierce County's composite score of 99 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 99% of US counties.