FEMA Records
19
Below median
Colorado · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Boulder County, CO
19 FEMA disaster declarations (1969-2024), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Moderate. Most common hazard: Fire.
- 19
- FEMA declarations
- 7
- Major disasters
- 91
- NRI risk · Relatively Moderate
- Fire
- Top hazard
The verdict
Two federal records point in the busier direction for Boulder County. Its 19 FEMA declarations are 86% above the Colorado county mean and exceed the count for 41% of the 3,266 counties in this registry. Separately, FEMA's National Risk Index places it in the riskiest 9%, based on modeled expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience.
- Riskiest 9%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Relatively Moderate
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 19
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 1,784
- NFIP flood insurance claims filed
FEMA's National Risk Index and its declaration registry are separate measures. This county's registry includes Fire Management Assistance (FM) records, which are not presidential disaster declarations, alongside Major Disaster (DR) and Emergency (EM) records.
FEMA OpenFEMA declaration desk
County FIPS 08013 · Boulder County 19 declarations · rank 1857/3,266
DECL-MID · MAJOR-LIGHT · RANK-LOWER · PHOTO-FINISH · NRI-MID · ACT-HIGH · TYPE-LEAD · VS-ST-HIGH
- DECL-MID 19
- MAJOR-LIGHT 37%
- RANK-LOWER #1,857
- PHOTO-FINISH Bartow
- NRI-MID 91
- ACT-HIGH High
- TYPE-LEAD Fire
- VS-ST-HIGH +86%
Nearest declaration peer: Bartow, GA (0 declaration gap)
FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 filing stamps for this county register. Read with this county → · Colorado state profile
Boulder County in the declaration-count neighbourhood
FEMA declaration records among Boulder County and nearest peers by total count
- Los Angeles · largest
Los Angeles · largest
88 declarations
- Bartow · near 19
Bartow · near
19 declarations
- Boulder · this county 19
Boulder · this county
19 declarations
- Union · near 19
Union · near
19 declarations
- Warren · near 19
Warren · near
19 declarations
- Ujelang · smallest 1
Ujelang · smallest
1 declarations
What this shows Boulder County carries 19 FEMA declaration records, ranked 1857 of 3,266 counties in this registry.
How Boulder County's FEMA declaration count compares nationally
Boulder County vs. all counties in this dataset
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time · Boulder County
19 41st percentile higher than 41% of 3,266 counties
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 · 2026-08-25
Boulder County's FEMA Risk Index score
Which hazard drives modeled loss here?
FEMA's modeled annual dollar loss for Boulder County is led by Riverine Flooding (about $69.1M Expected Annual Loss, Historical Loss Ratio Relatively Low), while Lightning carries the highest National Risk Index rating (Very High). EAL and risk score use different inputs; they need not agree.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025 release) - Expected Annual Loss vs composite risk rating by hazard.
What does Boulder County's hazard record show?
Reading the federal records together
FEMA's NFIP table contains a substantial paid-claim history for this county: 1,784 claims and $50.1M in payments. PlainHazard labels 500 or more claims a heavy registry record; that is a reporting bucket, not an official FEMA risk grade. The average paid claim was $28.1K. NFIP totals exclude uninsured flood losses and do not measure how many properties currently carry a policy.
The declaration register points in the busier direction. Boulder County's 19 federal records stand 86% above the Colorado county mean of 10.2. That comparison describes how often federal action was recorded, including any Major Disaster, Emergency, and Fire Management entries shown on this page; it does not convert the count into future probability.
FEMA National Risk Index
This county sits among the highest-risk counties nationally on FEMA's National Risk Index, a composite score of 90.7/100 (Relatively Moderate). Expected Annual Loss is rated Relatively Moderate (roughly $125.3M in annualized losses). Social vulnerability reads Very Low and community resilience Very High, both critical modifiers of realized harm here. Of the 18 hazards FEMA models, Lightning stands out as the sharpest exposure here, rated Very High. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at an average of 54 times per year here, based on 299,769 historical events on record.
59 /100
Historical Activity Index
High historical activity
Boulder County, CO · PlainHazard-derived composite from federal records
This 0–100 index is an explicit PlainHazard composite from FEMA declaration history only on the county surface (this DB has no county-level NOAA damage row) . It is not FEMA's National Risk Index, not a forecast, and not a safety, insurance, or preparedness rating. Open the calculator · Methodology
FEMA Declarations (1953–present) Moderate
14/30
19 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (0.9x national county average)
County Disaster Density Very High
23/25
19 declarations (1.9x state county average of 10)
Major Disaster Share Moderate
9/25
7 of 19 declarations are major disasters (37%)
Hazard Diversity High
13/20
5 different disaster types declared in Boulder County
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Boulder County
How to read this radar
Each axis: NRI risk rating (Very Low-Very High) on a 0-100 scale. Rounder = broad exposure; spiky = one or two hazards dominate.
Major Disaster share
37%
Mixed major share
NRI risk score
91
Relatively Moderate
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Boulder County?
FEMA's National Risk Index models a historical event count and an annualized frequency for each hazard type. Most hazards are expressed as modeled occurrences per year; FEMA expresses drought and heat-wave frequency as event-days per year. These modeled frequencies are not forecasts.
| Hazard | NRI Risk Rating | Recurrence |
|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Very High | an average of 54 times per year |
| Hail | Relatively High | an average of 5.5 times per year |
| Wildfire | Relatively High | roughly once every 176 years |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | an average of 21 times per year |
| Tornado | Relatively High | roughly once every 2 years |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 1 years |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 4 years |
| Avalanche | Relatively High | roughly once every 2 years |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | roughly once every 1 years |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | roughly once every 1,244 years |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 67 years |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 2 years |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | roughly once every 10,000 years |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 0.3 modeled event-days per year |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 11 modeled event-days per year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Fire 9
Flood 5
Biological 2
Snowstorm 2
Coastal Storm 1
What Fire declarations mean here
Fire is the most frequent declaration type on Boulder County's record, 47% of its declarations. Wildfire is the one hazard here with its own dedicated federal instrument: the Fire Management Assistance Grant, which appears in this data as an FM record. An FMAG can be authorised while a fire is still burning, on a timescale of hours, because its purpose is to reimburse the cost of fighting a fire that threatens to become a major disaster.
That distinction matters when comparing counties. An FM declaration is not a presidential major disaster declaration and does not carry the same assistance programmes, so a fire-heavy county's total is not directly comparable with a hurricane-heavy county's total unless the declaration types are separated, which is why they are listed separately on this page.
Declaration counts describe past federal action. They are a record of what was declared, not a forecast of future hazard probability.
Declaration Types
What DR / EM / FM mean
FEMA categorizes declarations as Major Disasters (DR), Emergencies (EM), or Fire Management Assistance (FM).
Fire Management - 7 36.8%
of all 19 declarations
Major Disaster - 7 36.8%
of all 19 declarations
Emergency - 5 26.3%
of all 19 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 2 | |
| 2021 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 2 | |
| 2015 | 1 | |
| 2013 | 2 | |
| 2010 | 1 | |
| 2009 | 1 | |
| 2007 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 1 | |
| 2004 | 1 | |
| 2003 | 1 | |
| 2002 | 1 | |
| 2000 | 1 | |
| 1973 | 1 | |
Show 1 earlier declaration years
| 1969 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 19 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 19 declarations as CSV . FEMA source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5525 | STONE MOUNTAIN FIRE | FM | Fire | 2024-07-31 |
| 4634 | WILDFIRES AND STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS | DR | Fire | 2021-12-31 |
| 5423 | MARSHALL FIRE | FM | Fire | 2021-12-30 |
| 5379 | CALWOOD FIRE | FM | Fire | 2020-10-17 |
| 4498 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-03-28 |
| 3436 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 4229 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES | DR | Flood | 2015-07-16 |
| 4145 | SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES | DR | Flood | 2013-09-14 |
| 3365 | SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES | EM | Flood | 2013-09-12 |
| 2855 | FOUR MILE CANYON FIRE | FM | Fire | 2010-09-06 |
| 2793 | OLDE STAGE FIRE | FM | Fire | 2009-01-07 |
| 3270 | SNOW | EM | Snowstorm | 2007-01-07 |
| 3224 | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM | Coastal Storm | 2005-09-05 |
| 2509 | CO - OVERLAND WILDFIRE - 10/29/2003 | FM | Fire | 2003-10-29 |
| 3185 | SNOW | EM | Snowstorm | 2003-04-09 |
| 1421 | WILDFIRES | DR | Fire | 2002-06-19 |
| 2338 | CO - ELDORADO FIRE | FM | Fire | 2000-09-16 |
| 385 | HEAVY RAINS, SNOWMELT AND FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1973-05-23 |
| 261 | SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1969-05-19 |
Storm Events in Colorado
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Boulder County.
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 4,913 | 0 | 100 | $2.9B |
| Winter Weather | 2,620 | 3 | 23 | $22.5K |
| High Wind | 1,992 | 5 | 6 | $20.9M |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 1,741 | 2 | 11 | $5.4M |
| Winter Storm | 1,497 | 0 | 0 | $848.0K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015-2025
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
Total Claims
1,784
Total Paid
$50.1M
Avg Per Claim
$28.1K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Relatively Moderate
Score: 90.7/100
Expected Annual Loss
Relatively Moderate
$125.3M/year
Social Vulnerability
Very Low
Community Resilience
Very High
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Lightning Very High
Hail Relatively High
Wildfire Relatively High
Winter Weather Relatively High
Tornado Relatively High
Riverine Flooding Relatively Moderate
Landslide Relatively Moderate
Avalanche Relatively High
Strong Wind Relatively High
Earthquake Relatively Low
Ice Storm Relatively Moderate
Cold Wave Relatively Moderate
Volcanic Activity Very Low
Heat Wave Relatively Low
Drought Relatively Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) Ratings reflect relative scores among all US counties. Data: hazards.fema.gov/nri
The model's sharpest exposure here: Lightning
Lightning is modeled as a high-frequency, low-per-event hazard: strike counts are large, but each strike affects a very small area. Its aggregate cost accumulates through structure fires, electrical and electronic damage, and it is one of the few hazards whose risk is essentially continuous through the season rather than episodic.
Worth noting for Boulder County: the model and the federal record do NOT point at the same hazard. Lightning carries the highest modeled rating (Very High), while the county's declaration history is led by Fire. That is not a contradiction, the two measure genuinely different things. Declarations record federal ACTION, which requires damage costly enough to exceed state and local capacity; the Risk Index models EXPECTED annual loss across all 18 hazards whether or not any declaration ever followed. A hazard can be the county's largest modeled exposure and never once have driven a declaration.
National Risk Index ratings are modeled estimates of expected annual loss, not predictions of what will happen in any given year.
Data-matched county comparisons
Boulder County's closest FEMA peer: Lancaster County, NE
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Boulder County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Similar modeled NRI score
Boulder County: NRI composite 90.7 (Relatively Moderate).
Similar Major-disaster share
Boulder County: 7 of 19 of its declarations are Major.
Closest declaration profiles
Boulder County shows 19 FEMA declarations, led by Fire.
How these peers are chosen
Cohort: Published U.S. county equivalents outside the source state or territory. Each metric keeps six ETL candidates; three unique destinations are shown after de-duplicating across axes. Declaration-volume ranking combines count and Major-disaster share and prefers a different leading incident type; Major-share ranks the Major fraction adjusted for volume; NRI ranks the modeled composite score only.
Retained FEMA snapshot feed for Boulder County - capture-dated entries only.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by NRI score & FEMA declaration volume
Two PlainHazard-derived comparison paths for Boulder County: nearest out-of-state National Risk Index composite and nearest FEMA declaration count (floor ≥5 records). Record similarity only, not a forecast of the next hazard.
Similar NRI composite
Nearest out-of-state counties by FEMA NRI score. This county: 90.7 (Relatively Moderate).
Similar declaration volume
Nearest out-of-state counties by FEMA declaration count. This county: 19. NRI peers are excluded so the two link sets stay distinct.
Further reading for this county
Understanding disaster data
Boulder County's NFIP claims file (1,784 claims) and FEMA declaration history measure different federal records - this guide separates them from modeled NRI risk.
More PlainHazard guides
- Most disaster-prone counties - U.S. counties ranked by FEMA declaration totals.
- Understanding disaster data - declarations vs storm events vs NRI scores.
- Preparing for natural disasters - household checklist (not county-specific advice).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common disaster type in Boulder County?
The most common disaster type in Boulder County is Fire, with 9 declarations. Other disaster types include Flood (5), Biological (2), Snowstorm (2).
How does Boulder County's FEMA declaration record compare with the Colorado average?
FEMA lists 19 declaration records for Boulder County. That is 86% above the Colorado county mean of 10.2. Its count is also 8% below the national county mean of 20.7. A larger declaration history records more federal actions; it is not a forecast of the county's next hazard.
How many major FEMA disaster declarations has Boulder County received?
Boulder County has received 7 major disaster declarations, representing 37% of all 19 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Boulder County filed?
Boulder County has 1,784 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $50.1M in payments, with an average of $28.1K per claim.
Does FEMA's top risk-rated hazard match the highest Expected Annual Loss in Boulder County?
No. In Boulder County, Lightning has the highest National Risk Index rating (Very High), while Riverine Flooding leads Expected Annual Loss at about $69.1M. FEMA's risk score and dollar-loss model use different inputs, so the leaders often differ.
What was the worst year for disasters in Boulder County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Boulder County was 2013, with 2 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1969 to 2024.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Boulder County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Boulder County, Colorado has an overall risk score of 90.7 out of 100 (Relatively Moderate). The county's social vulnerability rating is Very Low and community resilience is Very High. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Relatively Moderate, representing $125.3M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Boulder County?
Based on FEMA NRI data, the highest-risk natural hazard in Boulder County as of the latest release is Lightning (risk rating: Very High). Other significant hazards include Hail (Relatively High) and Wildfire (Relatively High). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts lightning here at an average of 54 times per year, drawn from 299,769 historical events on record. These scores are based on FEMA's analysis of historical event frequency, exposed assets, and community vulnerability.
Data Sources & Methodology
Disaster declaration data comes from the FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 API, which includes all federally declared disasters, emergencies, and fire management assistance grants.
Storm event data is sourced from the NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025), which tracks significant weather events including thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, and winter storms.
Flood insurance data comes from the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA claims dataset.
This data is provided for informational purposes only. FEMA disaster declarations represent federal response actions and may not capture all local emergencies or weather events.
FEMA OpenFEMA declarations + NRI for Boulder County · vintage 2026-08-25 · Methodology · Colorado profile · Verify with FEMA OpenFEMA · Verify with NOAA Storm Events