Rolette County, ND
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Rolette County has experienced 25 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Winter Storm And Flooding in 2022. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Rolette County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, winter weather, and ice storm, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 63% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (89th 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. Rolette County has been designated in 25 declarations since 1969, covering 5 disaster types including flood (13), severe storm (8), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2013 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2006 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Record And/Or Near Record Snow |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Ground Saturation |
| 2005 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Ground Saturation |
Showing the 10 most recent of 25 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 | 96.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 21.6 | 1 | 1 | $20K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 15.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 12.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 31.1 | 3 | 0 | $600K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 38.9 | 22 | 0 | $250K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 40.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 96.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 89.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 89 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 27.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 29.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 63.2 | 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
Rolette County ranks in the 89th 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 | 89th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 84th | High |
| Household characteristics | 68th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 99th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 89th | 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 | 72nd | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 74th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 79.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 26 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 19 in 2016–20 vs 7 in 2021–25 (-63% — 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 Rolette County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Rolette County, North Dakota are wildfire, winter weather, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Rolette County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Rolette County has received 25 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2022. The most common disaster type on record is flood (13 declarations).
Has Rolette County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Rolette County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Winter Storm And Flooding in 2022.
How does Rolette County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Benson County, ND has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Towner County, ND has the lowest (Very Low). Rolette County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Rolette County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Rolette 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. Rolette County's composite score of 53 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 53% of US counties.