Yuba County, CA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Yuba County has experienced 28 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Yuba County's highest-rated hazards are drought, wildfire, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (93rd 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. Yuba County has been designated in 28 declarations since 1965, covering 9 disaster types including fire (8), flood (7), severe storm (6).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| 2021 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2020 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2020 | Fire | Bear Fire |
| 2018 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2018 | Fire | Cascade Fire |
| 2017 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Showing the 10 most recent of 28 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 Moderate | 96.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 83.8 | 10 | 0 | $1.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 90.1 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 54.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 14.9 | 1 | 0 | $1K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 7.4 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 4.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 9.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | No Rating | 0 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 40 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively High | 99 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 89.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 22.7 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 56 | — | — | — |
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
Yuba County ranks in the 93rd 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 | 93rd | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 87th | High |
| Household characteristics | 91st | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 86th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 87th | 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 | 97th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 99th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 47.1% | — |
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 Yuba County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Yuba County, California are drought, wildfire, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Yuba County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Yuba County has received 28 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is fire (8 declarations).
Has Yuba County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Yuba County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides in 2023.
How does Yuba County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Butte County, CA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Sierra County, CA has the lowest (Very Low). Yuba County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Yuba County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Yuba 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. Yuba County's composite score of 81 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 81% of US counties.