Powder River County, MT
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Powder River County has experienced 12 federally declared disasters since 1978, most recently Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Powder River County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, landslide, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 59% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (15th 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. Powder River County has been designated in 12 declarations since 1978, covering 6 disaster types including fire (4), biological (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Straight-Line Winds | Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Fire | Snider/Rice Fire Complex |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2012 | Fire | Wildfire |
| 2012 | Fire | Ash Creek Fire |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Showing the 10 most recent of 12 total declarations since 1978.
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 | 88 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 7.8 | 7 | 0 | $2K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 18 | 2 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 9.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 7.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 26 | 82 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 2.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 42.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 2.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 32.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 4.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 17.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 44.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 1 | — | — | — |
| 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
Powder River County ranks in the 15th 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 | 15th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 19th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 8th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 22nd | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 39th | 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 | 95th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 83.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 89 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 63 in 2016–20 vs 26 in 2021–25 (-59% — 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 Powder River County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Powder River County, Montana are wildfire, landslide, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Powder River County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Powder River County has received 12 federal disaster declarations since 1978, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is fire (4 declarations).
Has Powder River County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Powder River County include Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1978.
How does Powder River County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Sheridan County, WY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Carter County, MT has the lowest (Very Low). Powder River County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Powder River County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Powder River 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. Powder River County's composite score of 4 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 4% of US counties.