Prairie County, MT
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Prairie County has experienced 7 federally declared disasters since 1997, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Prairie County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, wildfire, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 37 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. Prairie County has been designated in 7 declarations since 1997, covering 5 disaster types including biological (2), severe storm (2), flood (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2014 | Flood | Ice Jams And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2000 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 1997 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms,Ice Jams, Snow Melt, Flooding |
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 | Very Low | 61 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 5.8 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 5.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 18.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 8.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 16.2 | 30 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 8.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 24.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 2.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 64.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 23.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 18.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Prairie County ranks in the 36th 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 | 36th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 55th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 38th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 30th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 19th | Very 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 | 83rd | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 82nd | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 54.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 37 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 19 in 2016–20 vs 18 in 2021–25 (-5% — relatively stable).
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 Prairie County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Prairie County, Montana are cold wave, wildfire, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Prairie County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Prairie County has received 7 federal disaster declarations since 1997, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Prairie County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Prairie County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Prairie County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Dawson County, MT has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and McCone County, MT has the lowest (Very Low). Prairie County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Prairie County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Prairie 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. Prairie County's composite score of 4 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 4% of US counties.