Wheatland County, MT
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Wheatland County has experienced 10 federally declared disasters since 1975, most recently Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Wheatland County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, lightning, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Very Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 25 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (13th 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. Wheatland County has been designated in 10 declarations since 1975, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (3), biological (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Straight-Line Winds | Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2014 | Flood | Ice Jams And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2000 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 1997 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms,Ice Jams, Snow Melt, Flooding |
| 1975 | Flood | Rains, Showmelt, Storms & Flooding |
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 | 51 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 12.2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 24.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 6.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 5.8 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 23.3 | 23 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 2.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 29.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 3.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 37.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 44.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 24.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 21.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 15.8 | — | — | — |
| 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
Wheatland County ranks in the 13th 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 | 13th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 34th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 16th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 12th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 7th | 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 | 45th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 49th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 63.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 25 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 12 in 2016–20 vs 13 in 2021–25 (+8% — relatively stable).
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 Wheatland County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Wheatland County, Montana are wildfire, lightning, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Wheatland County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Wheatland County has received 10 federal disaster declarations since 1975, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (3 declarations).
Has Wheatland County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Wheatland County include Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (2026), Severe Winter Storm And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1975.
How does Wheatland County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Fergus County, MT has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Golden Valley County, MT has the lowest (Very Low). Wheatland County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Wheatland County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Wheatland 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. Wheatland County's composite score of 4 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 4% of US counties.