Washington County, UT
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Washington County has experienced 14 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Forsyth Fire in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Washington County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, lightning, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 154% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Washington County has been designated in 14 declarations since 1977, covering 6 disaster types including fire (6), flood (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Fire | Forsyth Fire |
| 2020 | Fire | Veyo West Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016 | Fire | Saddle Fire |
| 2013 | Flood | Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 2011 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| 2009 | Fire | Mill Flat Fire |
| 2005 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Showing the 10 most recent of 14 total declarations since 1977.
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 | 99.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 93.4 | 119 | 1 | $7.2M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 81.1 | 42 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 90.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 6 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 5.6 | 7 | 0 | $8K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 13.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 47.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 52.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 99.2 | 2 | 0 | $410K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 38.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively High | 98.6 | 2 | 0 | $1K |
| Avalanche | Relatively High | 86.7 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 65.5 | — | — | — |
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 39th 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 | 39th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 34th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 58th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 48th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 33rd | 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 | 94th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 97th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 32.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 131 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 37 in 2016–20 vs 94 in 2021–25 (+154% — 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 Washington County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Washington County, Utah are wildfire, lightning, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Washington County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Washington County has received 14 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is fire (6 declarations).
Has Washington County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Washington County include Forsyth Fire (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Washington County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Mohave County, AZ has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Piute County, UT has the lowest (Very Low). Washington County is rated Relatively Moderate 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 93 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 93% of US counties.