Tehama County, CA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Tehama County has experienced 25 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Park Fire in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Tehama County's highest-rated hazards are drought, wildfire, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 64% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (93rd percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Tehama County has been designated in 25 declarations since 1965, covering 8 disaster types including flood (9), fire (5), severe storm (5).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Fire | Park Fire |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2021 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2017 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2012 | Fire | Ponderosa Fire |
| 2005 | Fire | Manton Fire |
Showing the 10 most recent of 25 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 | 98.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 90 | 49 | 1 | $14.3M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 94.3 | 26 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 57.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 12.9 | 4 | 0 | $10K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 9.2 | 13 | 0 | $30K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 2.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | No Rating | 0 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 39.6 | 1 | 0 | $5K |
| Drought | Relatively High | 98.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively High | 98.3 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 28.2 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively Low | 92.5 | — | — | — |
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
Tehama County ranks in the 93rd percentile (High) 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 | 93rd | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 83rd | High |
| Household characteristics | 99th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 72nd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 77th | 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 | 99th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 99th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 69.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 66 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 25 in 2016–20 vs 41 in 2021–25 (+64% — 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 Tehama County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Tehama County, California are drought, wildfire, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Tehama County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Tehama County has received 25 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is flood (9 declarations).
Has Tehama County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Tehama County include Park Fire (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Tehama County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Butte County, CA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Glenn County, CA has the lowest (Relatively Low). Tehama County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Tehama County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Tehama 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. Tehama County's composite score of 89 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 89% of US counties.