Pueblo County, CO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Pueblo County has experienced 19 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Aspen Acres Fire in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Pueblo County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, winter weather, and hail, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 24% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (85th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Pueblo County has been designated in 19 declarations since 1965, covering 8 disaster types including fire (6), flood (4), snowstorm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fire | Aspen Acres Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Fire | Junkins Fire |
| 2017 | Fire | Beulah Hill Fire |
| 2015 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2013 | Fire | Wetmore Fire |
| 2013 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2007 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2007 | Snowstorm | Snow |
Showing the 10 most recent of 19 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 Moderate | 92.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 81.1 | 70 | 0 | $500K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 66.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 56 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 72.2 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 98.2 | 139 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 66 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 98.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 32.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 91.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 99 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 58.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 48.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 10.4 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 17.6 | — | — | — |
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
Pueblo County ranks in the 85th percentile (High) 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 | 85th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 69th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 88th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 87th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 83rd | High |
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 | 79th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 82nd | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 25.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 211 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 120 in 2016–20 vs 91 in 2021–25 (-24% — 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 Pueblo County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Pueblo County, Colorado are lightning, winter weather, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Pueblo County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Pueblo County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is fire (6 declarations).
Has Pueblo County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Pueblo County include Aspen Acres Fire (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Pueblo County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, El Paso County, CO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Custer County, CO has the lowest (Very Low). Pueblo County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Pueblo County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Pueblo 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. Pueblo County's composite score of 83 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 83% of US counties.