Whitman County, WA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Whitman County has experienced 18 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Wildfires in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Whitman County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, wildfire, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 30 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Whitman County has been designated in 18 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including flood (6), fire (4), severe storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2021 | Fire | Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2020 | Fire | Babb Fire |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Record And Near Record Snow |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1997 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Land & Muds Slides,Flooding |
| 1996 | Flood | High Winds, Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 18 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 Low | 68.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 58.8 | 23 | 0 | $1.2M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 55.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 60.8 | 2 | 0 | $2K |
| Tornado | Very Low | 10.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 39.6 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 19.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 27.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 39.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 68.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 7.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 20 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 91.7 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 46.2 | — | — | — |
| 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
Whitman County ranks in the 52nd 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 | 52nd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 62nd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 1st | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 60th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 92nd | 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 | 75th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 74th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 31.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 30 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 5 in 2016–20 vs 25 in 2021–25 .
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 Whitman County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Whitman County, Washington are landslide, wildfire, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Whitman County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Whitman County has received 18 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is flood (6 declarations).
Has Whitman County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Whitman County include Wildfires (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Whitman County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Spokane County, WA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Garfield County, WA has the lowest (Very Low). Whitman County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Whitman County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Whitman 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. Whitman County's composite score of 40 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 40% of US counties.