San Miguel County, CO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
San Miguel County has experienced 9 federally declared disasters since 1970, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
San Miguel County's highest-rated hazards are avalanche, landslide, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 155% 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. San Miguel County has been designated in 9 declarations since 1970, covering 5 disaster types including flood (3), biological (2), fire (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2002 | Fire | Co - Burn Canyon Fire - 07/15/02 |
| 1984 | Flood | Severe Storms, Mudslides, Landslides & Flooding |
| 1977 | Drought | Drought |
| 1973 | Flood | Flooding & Landslides |
| 1970 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
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 Low | 80.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 31.6 | 5 | 0 | $7K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 31.4 | 16 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 7.2 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 3.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 1.6 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 2.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 43.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 5.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 3.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 56 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 23.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 86.3 | 31 | 0 | $540K |
| Avalanche | Relatively High | 93.7 | — | — | — |
| 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
San Miguel 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 | 38th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 5th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 44th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 54th | 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 | 77th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 83rd | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 76.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 39 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 11 in 2016–20 vs 28 in 2021–25 (+155% — 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 San Miguel County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in San Miguel County, Colorado are avalanche, landslide, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has San Miguel County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. San Miguel County has received 9 federal disaster declarations since 1970, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (3 declarations).
Has San Miguel County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for San Miguel County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does San Miguel County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Montrose County, CO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Hinsdale County, CO has the lowest (Very Low). San Miguel County is rated Very Low overall.
How is San Miguel County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
San Miguel 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. San Miguel County's composite score of 19 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 19% of US counties.