Platte County, WY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Platte County has experienced 8 federally declared disasters since 2001, most recently Pleasant Valley Fire in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Platte County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, winter weather, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 50% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Platte County has been designated in 8 declarations since 2001, covering 4 disaster types including fire (2), biological (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Fire | Pleasant Valley Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2015 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2012 | Fire | Arapahoe Fire |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides |
| 2010 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2001 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
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 | 87.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 33.2 | 18 | 0 | $10K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 40.6 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 9.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 33.6 | 8 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 65.4 | 144 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 23.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 80.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 48.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 66.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 45.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 36.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 43.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 4.2 | — | — | — |
| 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
Platte County ranks in the 33rd 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 | 33rd | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 36th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 48th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 42nd | Low |
| 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 | 87th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 88th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 59.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 170 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 113 in 2016–20 vs 57 in 2021–25 (-50% — frequency decreasing).
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 Platte County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Platte County, Wyoming are wildfire, winter weather, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Platte County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Platte County has received 8 federal disaster declarations since 2001, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is fire (2 declarations).
Has Platte County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Platte County include Pleasant Valley Fire (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 2001.
How does Platte County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Laramie County, WY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Sioux County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Platte County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Platte County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Platte 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. Platte County's composite score of 26 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 26% of US counties.