Wahkiakum County, WA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Wahkiakum County has experienced 33 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 Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Wahkiakum County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, earthquake, and coastal flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 25% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (20th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Wahkiakum County has been designated in 33 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including flood (14), severe storm (13), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2022 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding |
| 2021 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides |
Showing the 10 most recent of 33 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 | Very Low | 12.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 17.6 | 20 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 70.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 75.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 39.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 3.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 1.3 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 3.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 2.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 16.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 6.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 0.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 80.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 8.3 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Relatively Low | 58.5 | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 69.7 | — | — | — |
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
Wahkiakum County ranks in the 20th percentile (Very low) 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 | 20th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 35th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 15th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 48th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 13th | Very 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 | 15th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 15th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 81.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 21 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 12 in 2016–20 vs 9 in 2021–25 (-25% — 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 Wahkiakum County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Wahkiakum County, Washington are landslide, earthquake, and coastal flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Wahkiakum County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Wahkiakum County has received 33 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is flood (14 declarations).
Has Wahkiakum County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Wahkiakum County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2026), Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Wahkiakum County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Washington County, OR has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Columbia County, OR has the lowest (Relatively Low). Wahkiakum County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Wahkiakum County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Wahkiakum 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. Wahkiakum County's composite score of 19 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 19% of US counties.