Wallowa County, OR
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Wallowa County has experienced 11 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Wallowa County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, avalanche, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Wallowa County has been designated in 11 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including flood (4), biological (2), severe storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2015 | Fire | Grizzly Bear Fire Complex |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 1997 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Land And Mudslides, Flooding |
| 1996 | Flood | High Winds, Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 1977 | Drought | Drought |
| 1974 | Flood | Severe Storms, Snowmelt & Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 11 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 Moderate | 92.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 48.9 | 5 | 0 | $179K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 37.7 | 3 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 22.8 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 4.3 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 29.9 | 8 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 4.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 57.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 31.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 37.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 13.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 14.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 78.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively High | 87.1 | — | — | — |
| 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
Wallowa County ranks in the 45th percentile (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 | 45th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 24th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 68th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 29th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 69th | Moderate |
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 | 94th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 92nd | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 70.3% | — |
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 Wallowa County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Wallowa County, Oregon are wildfire, avalanche, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Wallowa County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Wallowa County has received 11 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (4 declarations).
Has Wallowa County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Wallowa County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Wallowa County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Union County, OR has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Garfield County, WA has the lowest (Very Low). Wallowa County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Wallowa County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Wallowa 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. Wallowa County's composite score of 34 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 34% of US counties.