Sandoval County, NM
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Sandoval County has experienced 21 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Wildfires, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Mudflows, And Debris Flows in 2022. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Sandoval County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, wildfire, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 48% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Sandoval County has been designated in 21 declarations since 1973, covering 6 disaster types including fire (9), severe storm (4), flood (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Fire | Wildfires, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Mudflows, And Debris Flows |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Fire | El Cajete Fire |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2014 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2012 | Fire | Romero Fire |
| 2012 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2012 | Flood | Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 21 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 | Relatively Moderate | 93.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 84.3 | 32 | 1 | $2.4M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 88.7 | 2 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 79.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 23.8 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 74.4 | 40 | 0 | $650K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 39.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 79.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 17.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 24 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 90.3 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 72.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 94.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 36.1 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 8.8 | — | — | — |
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
Sandoval County ranks in the 39th 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 | 39th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 32nd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 67th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 91st | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 14th | Very 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 | 80th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 87th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 44.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 79 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 52 in 2016–20 vs 27 in 2021–25 (-48% — 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 Sandoval County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Sandoval County, New Mexico are landslide, wildfire, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Sandoval County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Sandoval County has received 21 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2022. The most common disaster type on record is fire (9 declarations).
Has Sandoval County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Sandoval County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Wildfires, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Mudflows, And Debris Flows in 2022.
How does Sandoval County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Bernalillo County, NM has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Los Alamos County, NM has the lowest (Very Low). Sandoval County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Sandoval County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Sandoval 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. Sandoval County's composite score of 77 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 77% of US counties.