Powell County, MT
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Powell County has experienced 17 federally declared disasters since 1975, 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.
Powell County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, wildfire, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (23rd 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. Powell County has been designated in 17 declarations since 1975, covering 6 disaster types including fire (5), flood (4), severe storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Straight-Line Winds | Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2025 | Fire | Windy Rock Fire |
| 2024 | Straight-Line Winds | Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2017 | Fire | Rice Ridge Fire |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003 | Fire | Mt-Lincoln Fire Complex - 08/14/2003 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 17 total declarations since 1975.
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 | 86.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 15.8 | 2 | 0 | $70K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 59.5 | 62 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 5.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 2.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 10.5 | 11 | 0 | $500 |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 5.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 74.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 12.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 57.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 14.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 21.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 91.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 64.2 | — | — | — |
| 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
Powell County ranks in the 23rd 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 | 23rd | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 18th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 5th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 36th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 72nd | Moderate |
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 | 89th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 92nd | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 68.6% | — |
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 Powell County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Powell County, Montana are landslide, wildfire, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Powell County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Powell County has received 17 federal disaster declarations since 1975, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is fire (5 declarations).
Has Powell County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Powell County include Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (2026), Windy Rock Fire (2025), Straight-Line Winds (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1975.
How does Powell County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Missoula County, MT has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Granite County, MT has the lowest (Very Low). Powell County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Powell County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Powell 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. Powell County's composite score of 10 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 10% of US counties.