Woodson County, KS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Woodson County has experienced 25 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Wildfires in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Woodson County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, drought, and ice storm, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 55% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (25th 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. Woodson County has been designated in 25 declarations since 1969, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (18), biological (2), fire (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Fire | Yates Center Fire |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Wildfires |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Tornadoes And Flooding |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 25 total declarations since 1969.
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 | 76 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 13.2 | 7 | 0 | $200 |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 25.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 35 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 26.4 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 40.8 | 19 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 32.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 45 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 53 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 26.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 36.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 63.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 30.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Woodson County ranks in the 25th percentile (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 | 25th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 42nd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 59th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 19th | 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 | 81st | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 83rd | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 71.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 29 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 20 in 2016–20 vs 9 in 2021–25 (-55% — frequency decreasing).
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 Woodson County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Woodson County, Kansas are wildfire, drought, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Woodson County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Woodson County has received 25 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (18 declarations).
Has Woodson County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Woodson County include Yates Center Fire (2025), Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Wildfires (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1969.
How does Woodson County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Coffey County, KS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Allen County, KS has the lowest (Very Low). Woodson County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Woodson County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Woodson 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. Woodson County's composite score of 8 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 8% of US counties.