Sonoma County, CA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Sonoma County has experienced 36 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Sonoma County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, earthquake, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 78% 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. Sonoma County has been designated in 36 declarations since 1965, covering 9 disaster types including fire (11), severe storm (9), flood (9).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2021 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2020 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2020 | Fire | Lnu Lightning Fire Complex |
| 2020 | Fire | Kincade Fire |
| 2020 | Fire | Glass Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
Showing the 10 most recent of 36 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 High | 98.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 99.2 | 238 | 5 | $5K |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 68.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively High | 99.5 | 288 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 88.8 | 2 | 2 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 15.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 16.1 | 20 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 13.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 8.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | No Rating | 0 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 58.7 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively High | 99.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively High | 99.8 | 58 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 10.8 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Very Low | 26.2 | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively Low | 85 | — | — | — |
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
Sonoma County ranks in the 56th 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 | 56th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 41st | Low |
| Household characteristics | 40th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 77th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 71st | 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 | 89th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 89th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 36.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 308 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 252 in 2016–20 vs 56 in 2021–25 (-78% — 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 Sonoma County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Sonoma County, California are landslide, earthquake, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Sonoma County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Sonoma County has received 36 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is fire (11 declarations).
Has Sonoma County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Sonoma County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides in 2023.
How does Sonoma County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, San Francisco County, CA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very High) and Yolo County, CA has the lowest (Relatively Moderate). Sonoma County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Sonoma County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Sonoma 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. Sonoma County's composite score of 99 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 99% of US counties.