Wayne County, UT
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Wayne County has experienced 4 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Wayne County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, winter weather, and avalanche, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 152% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (11th 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. Wayne County has been designated in 4 declarations since 1977, covering 3 disaster types including biological (2), coastal storm (1), drought (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1977 | Drought | Drought |
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 | 53.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 6.9 | 71 | 0 | $3.1M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 47.8 | 10 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 39.6 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 2.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 1.5 | 2 | 0 | $5K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 2.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 73.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 4.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 4.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 39.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 31 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 94.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 57 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 26.7 | — | — | — |
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
Wayne County ranks in the 11th 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 | 11th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 24th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 32nd | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 0th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 6th | 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 | 47th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 58th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 64.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 74 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 21 in 2016–20 vs 53 in 2021–25 (+152% — 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 Wayne County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Wayne County, Utah are landslide, winter weather, and avalanche. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Wayne County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Wayne County has received 4 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Wayne County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Wayne County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Wayne County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Kane County, UT has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Piute County, UT has the lowest (Very Low). Wayne County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Wayne County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Wayne 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. Wayne County's composite score of 2 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 2% of US counties.