Saline County, AR
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Saline County has experienced 23 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Saline County's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, heat wave, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 17% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (29th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Saline County has been designated in 23 declarations since 1973, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (9), severe ice storm (4), flood (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Laura |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Associated Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 23 total declarations since 1973.
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 | 61.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 74.9 | 62 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 89.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 92.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 89.1 | 7 | 0 | $1.2M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 56.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 87.7 | 59 | 0 | $5K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 67 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 81.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 95.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 48.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 87 | 1 | 0 | $100K |
| Drought | Very Low | 25.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 77.4 | 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
Saline County ranks in the 29th percentile (Low) 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 | 29th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 15th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 65th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 50th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 33rd | 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 | 59th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 55th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 64.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 128 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 59 in 2016–20 vs 69 in 2021–25 (+17% — 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 Saline County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Saline County, Arkansas are ice storm, heat wave, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Saline County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Saline County has received 23 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (9 declarations).
Has Saline County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Saline County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025), Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Saline County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Pulaski County, AR has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Grant County, AR has the lowest (Very Low). Saline County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Saline County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Saline 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. Saline County's composite score of 78 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 78% of US counties.