Union County, OR
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Union County has experienced 10 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 Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Union County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, cold wave, and avalanche, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 20 storm events in the county over the past decade. 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. Union County has been designated in 10 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including flood (3), severe storm (2), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2026 | Fire | Hagen Fire |
| 2020 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 1996 | Flood | High Winds, Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 1977 | Drought | Drought |
| 1965 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
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 | 91.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 37.5 | 3 | 0 | $1.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 76.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 46.1 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 6.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 21.3 | 13 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 16.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 80.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 49.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 83.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 30.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 16 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 66.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively Moderate | 83.5 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
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
Union 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 | 58th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 53rd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 37th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 95th | 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 | 95th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 94th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 45.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 20 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 9 in 2016–20 vs 11 in 2021–25 .
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 Union County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Union County, Oregon are wildfire, cold wave, and avalanche. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Union County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Union County has received 10 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is flood (3 declarations).
Has Union County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Union County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2026), Hagen Fire (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Union County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Umatilla County, OR has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Columbia County, WA has the lowest (Very Low). Union County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Union County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Union 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. Union County's composite score of 44 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 44% of US counties.