Thurston County, WA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Thurston County has experienced 30 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Thurston County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, earthquake, and volcanic activity, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Thurston County has been designated in 30 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including flood (14), severe storm (9), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2022 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding |
| 2020 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2020 | Fire | Bordeaux Road Fire |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2009 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, And Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Record And Near Record Snow |
Showing the 10 most recent of 30 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 | Very Low | 57.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 90.8 | 2 | 0 | $126K |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | 58.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively High | 98.9 | 500 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 90.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 25 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 6.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 25.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 56.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 65.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 2.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 30.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 13.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively High | 99 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 5.8 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Very Low | 13.8 | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively Moderate | 94.1 | — | — | — |
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
Thurston County ranks in the 39th percentile (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 | 39th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 30th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 34th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 64th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 50th | 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 | 30th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 28th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 42.0% | — |
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 Thurston County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Thurston County, Washington are landslide, earthquake, and volcanic activity. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Thurston County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Thurston County has received 30 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is flood (14 declarations).
Has Thurston County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Thurston County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Thurston County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Pierce County, WA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Mason County, WA has the lowest (Relatively Moderate). Thurston County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Thurston County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Thurston 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. Thurston County's composite score of 95 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 95% of US counties.