Spokane County, WA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Spokane County has experienced 33 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Wildfires in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Spokane County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, ice storm, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 45 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Spokane County has been designated in 33 declarations since 1965, covering 8 disaster types including fire (17), flood (6), severe storm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2026 | Fire | Upriver Fire |
| 2026 | Fire | Old Trails Fire |
| 2026 | Fire | Fairview Fire |
| 2026 | Fire | Autumn Lane Fire |
| 2024 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2023 | Fire | Oregon Fire |
| 2023 | Fire | Gray Fire |
| 2021 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2021 | Fire | Andrus Fire |
Showing the 10 most recent of 33 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 | 96.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 91.6 | 27 | 0 | $10.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 85.9 | 8 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 94.9 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 42.7 | 5 | 0 | $50K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 63.4 | 6 | 0 | $200K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 91.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 87.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 97 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 97.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 57.1 | 3 | 0 | $205K |
| Drought | Very Low | 16.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 56.9 | 3 | 0 | $28K |
| Avalanche | Relatively Moderate | 82.3 | — | — | — |
| 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
Spokane 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 | 42nd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 42nd | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 49th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 85th | High |
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 | 83rd | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 82nd | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 26.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 45 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 21 in 2016–20 vs 24 in 2021–25 (+14% — frequency increasing).
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 Spokane County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Spokane County, Washington are cold wave, ice storm, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Spokane County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Spokane County has received 33 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is fire (17 declarations).
Has Spokane County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Spokane County include Wildfires (2026), Upriver Fire (2026), Old Trails Fire (2026), Fairview Fire (2026), Autumn Lane Fire (2026), Wildfires (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Spokane County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Kootenai County, ID has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Benewah County, ID has the lowest (Very Low). Spokane County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Spokane County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Spokane 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. Spokane County's composite score of 90 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 90% of US counties.