Teller County, CO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Teller County has experienced 13 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Teller County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, landslide, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 34 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (5th 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. Teller County has been designated in 13 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including fire (4), flood (2), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Fire | Chateau Fire |
| 2012 | Fire | High Park And Waldo Canyon Wildfires |
| 2008 | Fire | Nash Ranch Fire |
| 2007 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2002 | Fire | Wildfires |
Showing the 10 most recent of 13 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 | 97 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 15.9 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 23.3 | 2 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 2.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 28 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 78.8 | 25 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 13.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 74.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 8.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 6.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 83.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 92.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 12.9 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 36.8 | — | — | — |
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
Teller County ranks in the 5th 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 | 5th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 23rd | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 2nd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 44th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 4th | Very 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 | 98th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 99th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 86.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 34 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 17 in 2016–20 vs 17 in 2021–25 (0% — relatively stable).
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 Teller County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Teller County, Colorado are wildfire, landslide, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Teller County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Teller County has received 13 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is fire (4 declarations).
Has Teller County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Teller County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes in 2023.
How does Teller County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Jefferson County, CO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Custer County, CO has the lowest (Very Low). Teller County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Teller County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Teller 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. Teller County's composite score of 39 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 39% of US counties.