Roosevelt County, NM
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Roosevelt County has experienced 7 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Roosevelt County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, drought, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 18% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (95th 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. Roosevelt County has been designated in 7 declarations since 1977, covering 5 disaster types including biological (2), fire (2), hurricane (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011 | Fire | Tire Fire |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2000 | Fire | Severe Fire Threats |
| 1998 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1977 | Drought | Drought |
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 | 98.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 83.7 | 15 | 0 | $2.9M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 25 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 65.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 53.5 | 11 | 0 | $2.1M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 32.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 89.9 | 61 | 0 | $1.1M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 76.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 83 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 27.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 26.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 38.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively High | 97 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 7.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 38.1 | — | — | — |
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
Roosevelt County ranks in the 95th 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 | 95th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 92nd | High |
| Household characteristics | 87th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 87th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 91st | 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 | 99th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 98th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 54.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 87 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 40 in 2016–20 vs 47 in 2021–25 (+18% — 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 Roosevelt County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Roosevelt County, New Mexico are wildfire, drought, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Roosevelt County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Roosevelt County has received 7 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Roosevelt County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Roosevelt County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Roosevelt County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Parmer County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and De Baca County, NM has the lowest (Very Low). Roosevelt County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Roosevelt County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Roosevelt 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. Roosevelt County's composite score of 84 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 84% of US counties.