Trinity County, CA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Trinity County has experienced 32 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Trinity County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, wildfire, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (72nd 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. Trinity County has been designated in 32 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including fire (9), severe storm (9), flood (9).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2021 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2021 | Fire | Monument Fire |
| 2020 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Showing the 10 most recent of 32 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 | 79 | 3 | 0 | $3.2M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 85 | 37 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 39.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 4.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 5.3 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 7.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | No Rating | 0 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 11.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively High | 98.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 54.8 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 55.7 | — | — | — |
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
Trinity County ranks in the 72nd percentile (Moderate) 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 | 72nd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 77th | High |
| Household characteristics | 74th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 54th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 51st | 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 | 100th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 100th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 86.0% | — |
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 Trinity County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Trinity County, California are landslide, wildfire, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Trinity County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Trinity County has received 32 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is fire (9 declarations).
Has Trinity County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Trinity County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides in 2023.
How does Trinity County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Humboldt County, CA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Glenn County, CA has the lowest (Relatively Low). Trinity County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Trinity County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Trinity 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. Trinity County's composite score of 80 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 80% of US counties.