Washington County, KS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Washington County has experienced 20 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Haddam Fire in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Washington County's highest-rated hazards are hail, wildfire, and ice storm, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 15% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (8th 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. Washington County has been designated in 20 declarations since 1967, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (12), biological (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Fire | Haddam Fire |
| 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 |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 20 total declarations since 1967.
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 | 77.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 18.9 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 16.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 34.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 41.2 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 84.2 | 58 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 61.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 50.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 66.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 18.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 12.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 34 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 48.9 | 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
Washington County ranks in the 8th 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 | 8th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 3rd | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 60th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 19th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 11th | 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 | 58th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 70th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 51.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 63 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 34 in 2016–20 vs 29 in 2021–25 (-15% — 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 Washington County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Washington County, Kansas are hail, wildfire, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Washington County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Washington County has received 20 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (12 declarations).
Has Washington County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Washington County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Haddam Fire in 2023.
How does Washington County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Thayer County, NE has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Clay County, KS has the lowest (Very Low). Washington County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Washington County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Washington 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. Washington County's composite score of 16 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 16% of US counties.