Wadena County, MN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Wadena County has experienced 15 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2022. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Wadena County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, winter weather, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 55% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (74th 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. Wadena County has been designated in 15 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (5), flood (5), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2014 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2010 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1997 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 1997 | Flood | Severe Flooding, High Winds,Severe 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 Low | 65.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 27.6 | 3 | 0 | $17K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 4.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 18.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 30.3 | 4 | 0 | $1.1M |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 25.3 | 51 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 36.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 63.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 2.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 39.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 30.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 59.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 37.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Wadena County ranks in the 74th 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 | 74th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 50th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 76th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 23rd | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 98th | 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 | 57th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 64th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 72.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 58 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 40 in 2016–20 vs 18 in 2021–25 (-55% — frequency decreasing).
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 Wadena County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Wadena County, Minnesota are wildfire, winter weather, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Wadena County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Wadena County has received 15 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2022. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (5 declarations).
Has Wadena County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Wadena County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2022.
How does Wadena County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Otter Tail County, MN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Hubbard County, MN has the lowest (Very Low). Wadena County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Wadena County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Wadena 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. Wadena County's composite score of 13 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 13% of US counties.