Torrance County, NM
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Torrance County has experienced 14 federally declared disasters since 1985, most recently Echo Ridge Fire, Nm Fmag in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Torrance County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, drought, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 67 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (77th 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. Torrance County has been designated in 14 declarations since 1985, covering 5 disaster types including fire (7), biological (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Fire | Echo Ridge Fire, Nm Fmag |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016 | Fire | Dog Head Fire |
| 2014 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2008 | Fire | Trigo Fire |
| 2008 | Fire | Ojo Peak Fire |
| 2008 | Fire | Big Springs Fire |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Showing the 10 most recent of 14 total declarations since 1985.
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 | 91.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 62.8 | 12 | 0 | $260K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 63.5 | 3 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 13.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 10.1 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 72.1 | 47 | 0 | $1.3M |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 7.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 70.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 42.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 14.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 50 | 1 | 0 | $2K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 83.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 23.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 28.8 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 24.1 | — | — | — |
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
Torrance County ranks in the 77th 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 | 77th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 81st | High |
| Household characteristics | 78th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 88th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 40th | 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 | 80th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 82nd | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 87.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 67 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 33 in 2016–20 vs 34 in 2021–25 (+3% — 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 Torrance County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Torrance County, New Mexico are wildfire, drought, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Torrance County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Torrance County has received 14 federal disaster declarations since 1985, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is fire (7 declarations).
Has Torrance County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Torrance County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Echo Ridge Fire, Nm Fmag in 2023.
How does Torrance County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Bernalillo County, NM has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Guadalupe County, NM has the lowest (Very Low). Torrance County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Torrance County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Torrance 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. Torrance County's composite score of 46 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 46% of US counties.