Telfair County, GA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Telfair County has experienced 18 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Telfair County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, heat wave, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (98th 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. Telfair County has been designated in 18 declarations since 1977, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (7), biological (2), tropical storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Debby |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
Showing the 10 most recent of 18 total declarations since 1977.
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 | Very Low | 45.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 27.8 | 4 | 0 | $2K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 48.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 56.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 52.2 | 3 | 0 | $80K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 80.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 19 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 20.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 5.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 21.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 41.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 54.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 9.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Telfair County ranks in the 98th 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 | 98th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 73rd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 100th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 89th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 98th | 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 | 57th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 57th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 73.6% | — |
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 Telfair County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Telfair County, Georgia are hurricane, heat wave, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Telfair County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Telfair County has received 18 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (7 declarations).
Has Telfair County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Telfair County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Telfair County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Coffee County, GA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Wheeler County, GA has the lowest (Very Low). Telfair County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Telfair County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Telfair 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. Telfair County's composite score of 24 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 24% of US counties.