Rio Blanco County, CO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Rio Blanco County has experienced 7 federally declared disasters since 1984, most recently Lee Fire in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Rio Blanco County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, avalanche, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 31 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Rio Blanco County has been designated in 7 declarations since 1984, covering 4 disaster types including fire (3), biological (2), coastal storm (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Fire | Lee Fire |
| 2025 | Fire | Elk Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 1984 | Flood | Severe Storms, Mudslides, Landslides & 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 | Relatively Moderate | 91.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 51 | 4 | 0 | $200K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 40.6 | 49 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 2.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 3.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 11.9 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 3.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 9.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 6.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 10.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 81.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 34.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 93.9 | 23 | 0 | $62K |
| Avalanche | Relatively High | 92 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 25.4 | — | — | — |
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
Rio Blanco County ranks in the 52nd percentile (Moderate) 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 | 52nd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 52nd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 59th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 49th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 42nd | 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 | 87th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 90th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 67.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 31 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 8 in 2016–20 vs 23 in 2021–25 .
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 Rio Blanco County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Rio Blanco County, Colorado are landslide, avalanche, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Rio Blanco County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Rio Blanco County has received 7 federal disaster declarations since 1984, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is fire (3 declarations).
Has Rio Blanco County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Rio Blanco County include Lee Fire (2025), Elk Fire (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1984.
How does Rio Blanco County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Mesa County, CO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Uintah County, UT has the lowest (Very Low). Rio Blanco County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Rio Blanco County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Rio Blanco 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. Rio Blanco County's composite score of 38 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 38% of US counties.