Wallace County, KS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Wallace County has experienced 16 federally declared disasters since 2004, most recently Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Wildfires in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Wallace County's highest-rated hazards are hail, drought, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 38% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (18th 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. Wallace County has been designated in 16 declarations since 2004, covering 4 disaster types including severe storm (11), snowstorm (2), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Wildfires |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2022 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Straight Line Winds |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides |
| 2017 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 16 total declarations since 2004.
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 | 30.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 3.3 | 7 | 0 | $10K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 7.9 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 2.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 15.8 | 12 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 53.8 | 100 | 0 | $50K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 14.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 33.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 3.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 17.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 5.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 36 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 3 | 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
Wallace County ranks in the 18th 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 | 18th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 9th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 79th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 32nd | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 12th | 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 | 41st | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 43rd | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 61.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 119 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 50 in 2016–20 vs 69 in 2021–25 (+38% — frequency increasing).
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 Wallace County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Wallace County, Kansas are hail, drought, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Wallace County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Wallace County has received 16 federal disaster declarations since 2004, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (11 declarations).
Has Wallace County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Wallace County include Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Wildfires (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 2004.
How does Wallace County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Sherman County, KS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Greeley County, KS has the lowest (Very Low). Wallace County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Wallace County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Wallace 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. Wallace County's composite score of 1 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 1% of US counties.