Washoe County, NV
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Washoe County has experienced 52 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Bug Fire in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Washoe County's highest-rated hazards are earthquake, wildfire, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 29% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (70th 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. Washoe County has been designated in 52 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including fire (41), severe storm (4), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fire | Stallion Fire |
| 2026 | Fire | Hawk Fire |
| 2026 | Fire | Fred Mountain Fire |
| 2026 | Fire | Bug Fire |
| 2025 | Fire | Peavine Fire |
| 2025 | Fire | Marie Fire |
| 2025 | Fire | Callahan Fire |
| 2024 | Fire | Trail Fire |
| 2024 | Fire | Sullivan Fire |
| 2024 | Fire | Gold Ranch Fire |
Showing the 10 most recent of 52 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 | 99 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 94.5 | 28 | 0 | $9.5M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively High | 99.2 | 44 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 58.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 14.3 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 59 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 71 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 99 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 80.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 2.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 90.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 50.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 90.1 | 5 | 0 | $20K |
| Avalanche | Relatively Moderate | 84.4 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 78.5 | — | — | — |
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
Washoe County ranks in the 70th percentile (Moderate) 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 | 70th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 63rd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 40th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 78th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 78th | 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 | 97th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 97th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 16.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 39 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 17 in 2016–20 vs 22 in 2021–25 (+29% — 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 Washoe County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Washoe County, Nevada are earthquake, wildfire, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Washoe County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Washoe County has received 52 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is fire (41 declarations).
Has Washoe County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Washoe County include Stallion Fire (2026), Hawk Fire (2026), Fred Mountain Fire (2026), Bug Fire (2026), Peavine Fire (2025), Marie Fire (2025), Callahan Fire (2025), Trail Fire (2024), Sullivan Fire (2024), Gold Ranch Fire (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Washoe County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Plumas County, CA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Pershing County, NV has the lowest (Very Low). Washoe County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Washoe County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Washoe 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. Washoe County's composite score of 97 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 97% of US counties.