Silver Bow County, MT
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Silver Bow County has experienced 7 federally declared disasters since 1981, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Silver Bow County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, landslide, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Silver Bow County has been designated in 7 declarations since 1981, covering 5 disaster types including biological (2), fire (2), hurricane (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2000 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2000 | Fire | Mt-Southwestern Zone Two Fire Complex |
| 1996 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Ice Jams |
| 1981 | Flood | Severe Storms & 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 | 80.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 21.7 | 3 | 0 | $16K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 87.4 | 3 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 13.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 9.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 27.2 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 10 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 92.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 13.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 81.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 61.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 14.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 90.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 43 | — | — | — |
| 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
Silver Bow County ranks in the 45th 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 | 45th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 43rd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 44th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 30th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 58th | 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 | 78th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 84th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 24.9% | — |
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 Silver Bow County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Silver Bow County, Montana are winter weather, landslide, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Silver Bow County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Silver Bow County has received 7 federal disaster declarations since 1981, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Silver Bow County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Silver Bow County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Silver Bow County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Beaverhead County, MT has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Granite County, MT has the lowest (Very Low). Silver Bow County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Silver Bow County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Silver Bow 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. Silver Bow County's composite score of 38 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 38% of US counties.