Pratt County, KS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Pratt County has experienced 19 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Pratt County's highest-rated hazards are drought, hail, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 56% 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. Pratt County has been designated in 19 declarations since 1973, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (12), biological (2), severe ice storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2017 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Snowstorm | Snowstorm |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Record And Near Record Snow |
Showing the 10 most recent of 19 total declarations since 1973.
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 | 80.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 15.2 | 8 | 0 | $2.5M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 23.5 | 3 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 32.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 68.6 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 91.1 | 67 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 49.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 5.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 70.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 90.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 16.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively High | 96.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 6.1 | 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
Pratt 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 | 25th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 78th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 39th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 22nd | 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 | 81st | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 85th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 34.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 82 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 57 in 2016–20 vs 25 in 2021–25 (-56% — 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 Pratt County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Pratt County, Kansas are drought, hail, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Pratt County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Pratt County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (12 declarations).
Has Pratt County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Pratt County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Pratt County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Reno County, KS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Kiowa County, KS has the lowest (Very Low). Pratt County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Pratt County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Pratt 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. Pratt County's composite score of 55 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 55% of US counties.