Placer County, CA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Placer County has experienced 26 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Placer County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, avalanche, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 131% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (20th 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. Placer County has been designated in 26 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including fire (9), flood (6), severe storm (6).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2022 | Fire | Mosquito Fire |
| 2021 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2021 | Fire | River Fire |
| 2021 | Fire | Caldor Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, 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 High | 98.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 95.8 | 46 | 3 | $5.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 95.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 68.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 23.3 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 25.8 | 5 | 0 | $20K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 21.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 47.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | No Rating | 0 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 81.9 | 1 | 0 | $90K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 87.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 85.5 | 4 | 0 | $6K |
| Avalanche | Very High | 97.8 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 67.4 | — | — | — |
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
Placer County ranks in the 20th 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 | 20th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 12th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 32nd | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 68th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 25th | 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 | 96th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 98th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 36.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 53 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 16 in 2016–20 vs 37 in 2021–25 (+131% — 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 Placer County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Placer County, California are wildfire, avalanche, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Placer County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Placer County has received 26 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is fire (9 declarations).
Has Placer County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Placer County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides in 2023.
How does Placer County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, El Dorado County, CA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Sierra County, CA has the lowest (Very Low). Placer County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Placer County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Placer 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. Placer County's composite score of 93 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 93% of US counties.