Skamania County, WA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Skamania County has experienced 29 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Skamania County's highest-rated hazards are volcanic activity, wildfire, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (23rd 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. Skamania County has been designated in 29 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (10), flood (9), fire (5).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Fire | Tunnel Five Fire |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Fire | Nakia Creek Fire |
| 2022 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding |
| 2021 | Fire | Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2021 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 29 total declarations since 1965.
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 Low | 49.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 17.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 87.1 | 399 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 38.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 5.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 3.2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 14.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 23.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 29.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 61.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 4.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 12.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 81.2 | 1 | 0 | $500K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 45.8 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively High | 97.1 | — | — | — |
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
Skamania County ranks in the 23rd 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 | 23rd | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 26th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 14th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 50th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 33rd | 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 | 90th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 93rd | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 77.6% | — |
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 Skamania County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Skamania County, Washington are volcanic activity, wildfire, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Skamania County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Skamania County has received 29 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (10 declarations).
Has Skamania County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Skamania County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2026), Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Skamania County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Multnomah County, OR has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Hood River County, OR has the lowest (Very Low). Skamania County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Skamania County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Skamania 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. Skamania County's composite score of 50 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 50% of US counties.