Sheridan County, WY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Sheridan County has experienced 7 federally declared disasters since 1978, most recently Elk Fire in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Sheridan County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, winter weather, and avalanche, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 74 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (22nd 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. Sheridan County has been designated in 7 declarations since 1978, covering 4 disaster types including fire (3), biological (2), severe storm (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Fire | Elk Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides |
| 2007 | Fire | Little Goose Fire |
| 2004 | Fire | Wy - Tongue River Wildfire - 11/19/2003 |
| 1978 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding & Mudslides |
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 | 93.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 74.4 | 3 | 0 | $125K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 65.5 | 115 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 33.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 22.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 60.8 | 70 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 15.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 93.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 14.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 77.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 68.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 23 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 76.3 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively Moderate | 80.8 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 11.1 | — | — | — |
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
Sheridan County ranks in the 22nd percentile (Very 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 | 22nd | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 26th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 9th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 27th | Low |
| 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 | 94th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 92nd | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 52.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 74 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 38 in 2016–20 vs 36 in 2021–25 (-5% — relatively stable).
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 Sheridan County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Sheridan County, Wyoming are wildfire, winter weather, and avalanche. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Sheridan County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Sheridan County has received 7 federal disaster declarations since 1978, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is fire (3 declarations).
Has Sheridan County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Sheridan County include Elk Fire (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1978.
How does Sheridan County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Big Horn County, MT has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Powder River County, MT has the lowest (Very Low). Sheridan County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Sheridan County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Sheridan 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. Sheridan County's composite score of 65 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 65% of US counties.