Wasco County, OR
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Wasco County has experienced 26 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 Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Wasco County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, volcanic activity, and ice storm, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (89th 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. Wasco County has been designated in 26 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including fire (14), severe storm (4), flood (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2026 | Fire | Grasshopper Fire |
| 2025 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2025 | Fire | Rowena Fire |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2024 | Fire | Larch Creek Fire |
| 2022 | Fire | Miller Road Fire |
| 2020 | Fire | Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Fire | White River Fire |
| 2020 | Fire | Mosier Creek Fire |
Showing the 10 most recent of 26 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 High | 98.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 59.2 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 83 | 20 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 42.6 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 4.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 16.5 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 15.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 40.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 84.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 43.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 38.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 17.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 55.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | 73.2 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively Low | 91.2 | — | — | — |
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
Wasco County ranks in the 89th 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 | 89th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 76th | High |
| Household characteristics | 77th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 64th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 99th | 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 | 100th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 99th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 48.7% | — |
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 Wasco County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Wasco County, Oregon are wildfire, volcanic activity, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Wasco County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Wasco County has received 26 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is fire (14 declarations).
Has Wasco County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Wasco County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2026), Grasshopper Fire (2026), Wildfires (2025), Rowena Fire (2025), Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024), Larch Creek Fire (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Wasco County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Clackamas County, OR has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Gilliam County, OR has the lowest (Very Low). Wasco County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Wasco County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Wasco 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. Wasco County's composite score of 68 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 68% of US counties.