Walla Walla County, WA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Walla Walla County has experienced 13 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Walla Walla County's highest-rated hazards are earthquake, ice storm, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (81st 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. Walla Walla County has been designated in 13 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including flood (4), fire (2), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2015 | Fire | Blue Creek Fire |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Record And Near Record Snow |
| 2006 | Fire | Columbia Fire Complex |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001 | Earthquake | Earthquake |
| 1997 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Land & Muds Slides,Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 13 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 | 83.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 64.8 | 10 | 0 | $8.9M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 90.6 | 3 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 81.5 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 11.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 41.5 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 34.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 75.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 89.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 51.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 29.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 23.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 69.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 40.6 | — | — | — |
| 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
Walla Walla County ranks in the 81st 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 | 81st | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 68th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 74th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 66th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 89th | 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 | 88th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 87th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 27.9% | — |
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 Walla Walla County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Walla Walla County, Washington are earthquake, ice storm, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Walla Walla County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Walla Walla County has received 13 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (4 declarations).
Has Walla Walla County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Walla Walla County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Walla Walla 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 Garfield County, WA has the lowest (Very Low). Walla Walla County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Walla Walla County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Walla Walla 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. Walla Walla County's composite score of 60 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 60% of US counties.