Ziebach County, SD
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Ziebach County has experienced 22 federally declared disasters since 1976, most recently Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Ziebach County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, wildfire, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 25% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (88th 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. Ziebach County has been designated in 22 declarations since 1976, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (10), flood (4), biological (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| 2014 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 22 total declarations since 1976.
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 | 76.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 8.9 | 11 | 0 | $1.1M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 10.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 15.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 11.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 31.5 | 24 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 52.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 63.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 43.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 87.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 8.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 30.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 23.2 | 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
Ziebach County ranks in the 88th 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 | 88th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 94th | High |
| Household characteristics | 15th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 97th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 97th | 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 | 69th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 70th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 74.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 35 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 20 in 2016–20 vs 15 in 2021–25 (-25% — 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 Ziebach County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Ziebach County, South Dakota are cold wave, wildfire, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Ziebach County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Ziebach County has received 22 federal disaster declarations since 1976, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (10 declarations).
Has Ziebach County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Ziebach County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm in 2023.
How does Ziebach County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Dewey County, SD has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Perkins County, SD has the lowest (Very Low). Ziebach County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Ziebach County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Ziebach 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. Ziebach County's composite score of 25 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 25% of US counties.