Plumas County, CA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Plumas County has experienced 23 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Plumas County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, earthquake, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 25 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Plumas County has been designated in 23 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including flood (7), fire (6), severe storm (6).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2021 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2021 | Fire | Dixie Fire |
| 2020 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2020 | Fire | Bear Fire |
| 2017 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Showing the 10 most recent of 23 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 | 98.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 87.9 | 12 | 0 | $2.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 92.2 | 110 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 27.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 9.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 12.4 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 6.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 65.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | No Rating | 0 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 80.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 57.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 88.9 | 11 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 43.4 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively Low | 88.9 | — | — | — |
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
Plumas County ranks in the 41st 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 | 41st | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 37th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 37th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 49th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 49th | 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 | 98th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 98th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 70.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 25 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 9 in 2016–20 vs 16 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 Plumas County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Plumas County, California are wildfire, earthquake, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Plumas County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Plumas County has received 23 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is flood (7 declarations).
Has Plumas County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Plumas County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides in 2023.
How does Plumas County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Butte County, CA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Sierra County, CA has the lowest (Very Low). Plumas County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Plumas County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Plumas 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. Plumas County's composite score of 86 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 86% of US counties.