Richland County, MT
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Richland County has experienced 8 federally declared disasters since 1997, most recently Straight-Line Winds in 2021. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Richland County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, winter weather, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 39% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (26th 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. Richland County has been designated in 8 declarations since 1997, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (3), biological (2), other (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Other | Straight-Line Winds |
| 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 |
| 2001 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 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 | 55 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 25.1 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 8.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 46.1 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 27 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 45.6 | 37 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 26 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 82.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 43.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 95.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 37.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 32.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 22.7 | 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
Richland County ranks in the 26th 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 | 26th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 26th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 14th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 36th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 51st | Moderate |
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 | 64th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 66th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 43.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 45 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 28 in 2016–20 vs 17 in 2021–25 (-39% — 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 Richland County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Richland County, Montana are cold wave, winter weather, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Richland County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Richland County has received 8 federal disaster declarations since 1997, including declarations in 2021. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (3 declarations).
Has Richland County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Richland County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Straight-Line Winds in 2021.
How does Richland 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). Richland County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Richland County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Richland 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. Richland County's composite score of 53 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 53% of US counties.