Riverside County, CA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Riverside County has experienced 66 federally declared disasters since 1966, most recently Bain Fire in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very High — among the most at-risk counties in the country.
Riverside County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, inland flooding, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 42% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (82nd 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. Riverside County has been designated in 66 declarations since 1966, covering 8 disaster types including fire (38), flood (13), severe storm (7).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fire | Bain Fire |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Hilary |
| 2024 | Fire | Hawarden Fire |
| 2024 | Fire | Airport Fire |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2022 | Fire | Fairview Fire |
| 2021 | Fire | Blue Ridge Fire |
| 2020 | Fire | Hill Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 66 total declarations since 1966.
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 High | 100 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very High | 99.9 | 210 | 1 | $107.2M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very High | 99.8 | 370 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 98.5 | 58 | 2 | $500K |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 86.7 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 12 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 81.4 | 7 | 0 | $70K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 52.7 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 66.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 13.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 81.5 | 10 | 0 | $34K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 55.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively High | 98.7 | 25 | 0 | $3K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 51.6 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 66.8 | — | — | — |
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
Riverside County ranks in the 82nd 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 | 82nd | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 79th | High |
| Household characteristics | 67th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 95th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 68th | 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 | 99th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 99th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 17.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 314 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 130 in 2016–20 vs 184 in 2021–25 (+42% — 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 Riverside County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Riverside County, California are wildfire, inland flooding, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very High — among the most at-risk counties in the country.
Has Riverside County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Riverside County has received 66 federal disaster declarations since 1966, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is fire (38 declarations).
Has Riverside County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Riverside County include Bain Fire (2026), Tropical Storm Hilary (2024), Hawarden Fire (2024), Airport Fire (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1966.
How does Riverside County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Los Angeles County, CA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very High) and La Paz County, AZ has the lowest (Relatively Moderate). Riverside County is rated Very High overall.
How is Riverside County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Riverside 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. Riverside County's composite score of 100 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 100% of US counties.