Ravalli County, MT
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Ravalli County has experienced 13 federally declared disasters since 1996, most recently Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Ravalli County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, landslide, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 18% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (15th 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. Ravalli County has been designated in 13 declarations since 1996, covering 6 disaster types including fire (5), severe storm (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Straight-Line Winds | Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Fire | Lolo Peak Fire |
| 2016 | Fire | Roaring Lion Fire |
| 2014 | Flood | Ice Jams And Flooding |
| 2012 | Fire | Sawtooth Fire |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2000 | Fire | Wildfires |
Showing the 10 most recent of 13 total declarations since 1996.
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 High | 98.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 52 | 6 | 0 | $47K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 69.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 47.1 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 9.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 28.8 | 20 | 0 | $26K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 12.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 87.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 76.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 87.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 65.4 | 1 | 0 | $70K |
| Drought | Very Low | 19.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 93.6 | 3 | 0 | $16K |
| Avalanche | Relatively High | 87 | — | — | — |
| 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
Ravalli County ranks in the 15th 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 | 15th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 33rd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 16th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 29th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 9th | 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 | 99th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 99th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 83.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 31 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 17 in 2016–20 vs 14 in 2021–25 (-18% — 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 Ravalli County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Ravalli County, Montana are wildfire, landslide, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Ravalli County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Ravalli County has received 13 federal disaster declarations since 1996, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is fire (5 declarations).
Has Ravalli County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Ravalli County include Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1996.
How does Ravalli County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Idaho County, ID has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Granite County, MT has the lowest (Very Low). Ravalli County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Ravalli County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Ravalli 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. Ravalli County's composite score of 79 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 79% of US counties.