Umatilla County, OR
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Umatilla County has experienced 15 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Lower Dry Creek Fire in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Umatilla County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, cold wave, and ice storm, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 33 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (93rd 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. Umatilla County has been designated in 15 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including fire (5), flood (4), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fire | Lower Dry Creek Fire |
| 2026 | Fire | Hagen Fire |
| 2025 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2024 | Fire | Battle Mountain Fire Complex |
| 2020 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
Showing the 10 most recent of 15 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 | 96.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 81.5 | 9 | 1 | $53.7M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 87.2 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 86.6 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 13 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 52 | 13 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 83.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 89.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 93.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 94.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 55.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 82.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 90.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | 76.3 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 72 | — | — | — |
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
Umatilla County ranks in the 93rd 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 | 93rd | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 67th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 96th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 74th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 99th | 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 | 92nd | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 91st | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 39.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 33 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 16 in 2016–20 vs 17 in 2021–25 (+6% — 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 Umatilla County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Umatilla County, Oregon are wildfire, cold wave, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Umatilla County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Umatilla County has received 15 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is fire (5 declarations).
Has Umatilla County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Umatilla County include Lower Dry Creek Fire (2026), Hagen Fire (2026), Wildfires (2025), Battle Mountain Fire Complex (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Umatilla County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Benton County, WA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Columbia County, WA has the lowest (Very Low). Umatilla County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Umatilla County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Umatilla 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. Umatilla County's composite score of 82 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 82% of US counties.