Washington County, OR
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Washington County has experienced 17 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Lee Falls Fire in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Washington County's highest-rated hazards are earthquake, heat wave, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Washington County has been designated in 17 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including fire (5), severe storm (4), flood (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Fire | Lee Falls Fire |
| 2020 | Fire | Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2020 | Fire | Powerline Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2020 | Fire | Chehalem Mountain Bald Peak Fire |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Record And Near Record Snow |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Showing the 10 most recent of 17 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 | Very Low | 50.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 93.9 | 11 | 1 | $14K |
| Coastal Flooding | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively High | 99 | 2 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 96.6 | 1 | 4 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 53.1 | 1 | 0 | $100K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 29.8 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 80.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 75.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 91.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 90.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 81.7 | 1 | 0 | $6K |
| Drought | Very Low | 12.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 85.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 10.2 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Relatively Low | 89.3 | — | — | — |
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 37th 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 | 37th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 27th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 18th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 75th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 57th | 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 | 19th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 19th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 14.5% | — |
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, Oregon are earthquake, heat wave, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Washington County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Washington County has received 17 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is fire (5 declarations).
Has Washington County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Washington County include Lee Falls Fire (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Washington County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Multnomah County, OR has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Columbia County, OR has the lowest (Relatively Low). Washington County is rated Relatively High 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 96 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 96% of US counties.