Wolfe County, KY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Wolfe County has experienced 34 federally declared disasters since 1979, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Wolfe County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, wildfire, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 73% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (78th 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. Wolfe County has been designated in 34 declarations since 1979, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (14), flood (8), snowstorm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| 2025 | Tropical Storm | Remnants Of Hurricane Helene |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2022 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2021 | Flood | Severe, Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Showing the 10 most recent of 34 total declarations since 1979.
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 | 63.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 42.6 | 20 | 0 | $526K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 30 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 24.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 21.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 31.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 42.1 | 10 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 32.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 39.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 17 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 26.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 26.4 | 1 | 0 | $2K |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 89.2 | 1 | 0 | $2K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 16.2 | — | — | — |
| 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
Wolfe County ranks in the 78th percentile (High) 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 | 78th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 90th | High |
| Household characteristics | 47th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 0th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 90th | 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 | 76th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 72nd | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 94.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 30 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 11 in 2016–20 vs 19 in 2021–25 (+73% — 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 Wolfe County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Wolfe County, Kentucky are landslide, wildfire, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Wolfe County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Wolfe County has received 34 federal disaster declarations since 1979, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (14 declarations).
Has Wolfe County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Wolfe County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides (2025), Remnants Of Hurricane Helene (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1979.
How does Wolfe County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Breathitt County, KY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Menifee County, KY has the lowest (Very Low). Wolfe County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Wolfe County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Wolfe 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. Wolfe County's composite score of 19 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 19% of US counties.