Russell County, AL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Russell County has experienced 24 federally declared disasters since 1976, most recently Hurricane Helene in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Russell County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, heat wave, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 43% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (90th 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. Russell County has been designated in 24 declarations since 1976, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (11), hurricane (9), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 24 total declarations since 1976.
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 | 55.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 66.9 | 11 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 53.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 77.3 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 58.7 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 75.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 45.3 | 16 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 25.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 12.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 30.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 8.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 84.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 76.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 69.8 | 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
Russell County ranks in the 90th 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 | 90th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 95th | High |
| Household characteristics | 89th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 90th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 49th | 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 | 64th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 62nd | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 55.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 33 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 21 in 2016–20 vs 12 in 2021–25 (-43% — 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 Russell County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Russell County, Alabama are lightning, heat wave, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Russell County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Russell County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1976, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (11 declarations).
Has Russell County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Russell County include Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1976.
How does Russell County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Muscogee County, GA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Chattahoochee County, GA has the lowest (Very Low). Russell County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Russell County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Russell 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. Russell County's composite score of 55 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 55% of US counties.