Pitkin County, CO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Pitkin County has experienced 6 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Pitkin County's highest-rated hazards are avalanche, landslide, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 34 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (6th 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. Pitkin County has been designated in 6 declarations since 1977, covering 5 disaster types including biological (2), coastal storm (1), drought (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 1984 | Flood | Severe Storms, Mudslides, Landslides & Flooding |
| 1977 | Drought | Drought |
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 | 76.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 58.2 | 9 | 1 | $6K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 38.2 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 6.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 5.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 3.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 52.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 10.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 3.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 66.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 22.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively High | 98.3 | 25 | 0 | $897K |
| Avalanche | Very High | 98.8 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 32.2 | — | — | — |
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
Pitkin County ranks in the 6th 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 | 6th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 9th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 1st | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 51st | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 27th | 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 | 73rd | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 81st | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 63.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 34 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 5 in 2016–20 vs 29 in 2021–25 .
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 Pitkin County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Pitkin County, Colorado are avalanche, landslide, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Pitkin County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Pitkin County has received 6 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Pitkin County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Pitkin County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Pitkin County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Eagle County, CO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Lake County, CO has the lowest (Very Low). Pitkin County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Pitkin County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Pitkin 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. Pitkin County's composite score of 54 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 54% of US counties.