Yavapai County, AZ
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Yavapai County has experienced 26 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Crooks Fire in 2022. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Yavapai County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, lightning, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 34% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Yavapai County has been designated in 26 declarations since 1977, covering 6 disaster types including fire (13), flood (5), severe storm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Fire | Crooks Fire |
| 2021 | Fire | Spur Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Fire | 89 East Fire |
| 2017 | Fire | Goodwin Fire |
| 2016 | Fire | Tenderfoot Fire |
| 2013 | Fire | Yarnell Hill Fire |
| 2013 | Fire | Doce Fire |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 26 total declarations since 1977.
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 High | 99.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 96.1 | 244 | 3 | $8.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 85.3 | 11 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 85 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 32.7 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 89.8 | 38 | 0 | $1.5M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 41.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 94.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 2.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 98.9 | 2 | 0 | $60K |
| Drought | Very Low | 29.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 70 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 53.8 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 57 | — | — | — |
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
Yavapai County ranks in the 60th 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 | 60th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 58th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 55th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 55th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 60th | Moderate |
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 | 86th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 90th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 50.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 290 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 124 in 2016–20 vs 166 in 2021–25 (+34% — 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 Yavapai County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Yavapai County, Arizona are wildfire, lightning, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Yavapai County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Yavapai County has received 26 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2022. The most common disaster type on record is fire (13 declarations).
Has Yavapai County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Yavapai County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Crooks Fire in 2022.
How does Yavapai County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Maricopa County, AZ has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very High) and La Paz County, AZ has the lowest (Relatively Moderate). Yavapai County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Yavapai County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Yavapai 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. Yavapai County's composite score of 94 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 94% of US counties.