Putnam County, FL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Putnam County has experienced 41 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Railroad Complex Fire in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Putnam County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, wildfire, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 23% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (98th 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. Putnam County has been designated in 41 declarations since 1969, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (19), severe storm (7), fire (5).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fire | Railroad Complex Fire |
| 2025 | Hurricane | Hurricane Milton |
| 2025 | Hurricane | Hurricane Milton |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Debby |
| 2023 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Nicole |
| 2023 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Idalia |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nicole |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Idalia |
Showing the 10 most recent of 41 total declarations since 1969.
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 | 90.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 77.3 | 16 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | 60.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 49.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 66.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 78.5 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 93.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 14.2 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 66.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 28.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 83.1 | 4 | 1 | $8K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 36.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 28.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Putnam County ranks in the 98th 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 | 98th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 98th | High |
| Household characteristics | 97th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 66th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 90th | 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 | 80th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 79th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 76.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 29 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 13 in 2016–20 vs 16 in 2021–25 (+23% — frequency increasing).
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 Putnam County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Putnam County, Florida are hurricane, wildfire, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Putnam County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Putnam County has received 41 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (19 declarations).
Has Putnam County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Putnam County include Railroad Complex Fire (2026), Hurricane Milton (2025), Hurricane Milton (2025), Tropical Storm Debby (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1969.
How does Putnam County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Marion County, FL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Bradford County, FL has the lowest (Very Low). Putnam County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Putnam County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Putnam 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. Putnam County's composite score of 80 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 80% of US counties.