Sanpete County, UT
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Sanpete County has experienced 10 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Sanpete County's highest-rated hazards are avalanche, wildfire, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Sanpete County has been designated in 10 declarations since 1977, covering 5 disaster types including flood (4), fire (2), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Fire | Hilltop Fire |
| 2012 | Fire | Wood Hollow Fire |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1984 | Flood | Severe Storms, Mudslides, Landslides & Flooding |
| 1983 | Flood | Severe Storms, Landslides & Flooding |
| 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 Moderate | 89 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 24.5 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 83.4 | 29 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 45.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 12.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 3.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 11.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 78.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 12 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | No Rating | 0 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 80.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 56.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 79.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very High | 95.5 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 48.5 | — | — | — |
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
Sanpete County ranks in the 51st percentile (Moderate) 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 | 51st | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 61st | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 27th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 41st | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 55th | 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 | 82nd | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 86th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 59.5% | — |
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 Sanpete County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Sanpete County, Utah are avalanche, wildfire, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Sanpete County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Sanpete County has received 10 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is flood (4 declarations).
Has Sanpete County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Sanpete County include Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Sanpete County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Utah County, UT has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Emery County, UT has the lowest (Very Low). Sanpete County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Sanpete County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Sanpete 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. Sanpete County's composite score of 39 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 39% of US counties.