FEMA Records
14
Low volume
Nevada · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Clark County, NV
14 FEMA disaster declarations (1981-2020), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very High. Most common hazard: Fire.
- 14
- FEMA declarations
- 5
- Major disasters
- 100
- NRI risk · Very High
- Fire
- Top hazard
The verdict
Two federal records point in the busier direction for Clark County. Its 14 FEMA declarations are 13% above the Nevada county mean and exceed the count for 20% of the 3,266 counties in this registry. Separately, FEMA's National Risk Index places it in the riskiest 1%, based on modeled expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience.
- Riskiest 1%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Very High
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 14
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 626
- 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 32003 · Clark County 14 declarations · rank 2548/3,266
DECL-MID · MAJOR-LIGHT · RANK-LOWER · PHOTO-FINISH · NRI-HIGH · ACT-HIGH · TYPE-LEAD · VS-ST-ABOVE
- DECL-MID 14
- MAJOR-LIGHT 36%
- RANK-LOWER #2,548
- PHOTO-FINISH Pulaski
- NRI-HIGH Very High
- ACT-HIGH High
- TYPE-LEAD Fire
- VS-ST-ABOVE +13%
Nearest declaration peer: Pulaski, IL (0 declaration gap)
FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 filing stamps for this county register. Read with this county → · Nevada state profile
Clark County among counties with fewer federal records
FEMA declaration records among Clark County and nearest peers by total count
- Los Angeles · largest
Los Angeles · largest
88 declarations
- Clark · this county 14
Clark · this county
14 declarations
- Franklin (city) · near 14
Franklin (city) · near
14 declarations
- Harris · near 14
Harris · near
14 declarations
- Pulaski · near 14
Pulaski · near
14 declarations
- Ujelang · smallest 1
Ujelang · smallest
1 declarations
What this shows Clark County carries 14 FEMA declaration records, ranked 2548 of 3,266 counties in this registry.
Clark County versus quieter counties in this dataset
Clark County among lower-declaration counties nationally
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time · Clark County
14 20th percentile higher than 20% 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
Clark County's FEMA Risk Index score
Which hazard drives modeled loss here?
FEMA's modeled annual dollar loss for Clark County is led by Riverine Flooding (about $362.2M Expected Annual Loss, Historical Loss Ratio Relatively High), while Heat Wave 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 Clark County's hazard record show?
Reading the federal records together
FEMA's NFIP table contains a substantial paid-claim history for this county: 626 claims and $9.3M 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 $14.8K. 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. Clark County's 14 federal records stand 13% above the Nevada county mean of 12.4. 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 99.6/100 (Very High). Expected Annual Loss is rated Relatively High (roughly $812.6M in annualized losses). Social vulnerability reads Relatively Moderate and community resilience Very Low, both critical modifiers of realized harm here. Of the 18 hazards FEMA models, Heat Wave stands out as the sharpest exposure here, rated Very High. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at 12 modeled event-days per year here, based on 78 historical events on record.
48 /100
Historical Activity Index
Moderate historical activity
Clark County, NV · 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
10/30
14 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (0.7x national county average)
County Disaster Density High
14/25
14 declarations (1.1x state county average of 12)
Major Disaster Share Moderate
9/25
5 of 14 declarations are major disasters (36%)
Hazard Diversity Very High
15/20
6 different disaster types declared in Clark County
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Clark 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
36%
Mixed major share
NRI risk score
100
Very High
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Clark 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Heat Wave | Very High | 12 modeled event-days per year |
| Riverine Flooding | Very High | an average of 7.3 times per year |
| Wildfire | Relatively High | roughly once every 246 years |
| Earthquake | Relatively High | roughly once every 57 years |
| Hail | Relatively High | roughly once every 9 years |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | an average of 5.4 times per year |
| Lightning | Relatively High | an average of 24 times per year |
| Avalanche | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 15 years |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 3 years |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | an average of 2.2 times per year |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | roughly once every 10,000 years |
| Drought | Very Low | 70 modeled event-days per year |
| Tornado | Very Low | roughly once every 6 years |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | roughly once every 188,157 years |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Fire 5
Biological 2
Severe Storm 2
Snowstorm 2
Flood 2
Hurricane 1
What Fire declarations mean here
Fire is the most frequent declaration type on Clark County's record, 36% 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).
Major Disaster - 5 35.7%
of all 14 declarations
Fire Management - 5 35.7%
of all 14 declarations
Emergency - 4 28.6%
of all 14 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2 | |
| 2013 | 1 | |
| 2010 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 5 | |
| 2004 | 1 | |
| 2002 | 1 | |
| 1999 | 1 | |
| 1984 | 1 | |
| 1981 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 14 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 14 declarations as CSV . FEMA source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4523 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-04-04 |
| 3443 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 5034 | CARPENTER 1 FIRE | FM | Fire | 2013-07-05 |
| 2847 | CATHEDRAL FIRE | FM | Fire | 2010-07-01 |
| 3243 | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM | Hurricane | 2005-09-13 |
| 2563 | GOOD SPRINGS FIRE | FM | Fire | 2005-06-24 |
| 1583 | HEAVY RAINS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2005-03-07 |
| 3204 | SNOW | EM | Snowstorm | 2005-02-23 |
| 3202 | RECORD AND/OR NEAR RECORD SNOW | EM | Snowstorm | 2005-02-17 |
| 2536 | ROBBERS FIRE | FM | Fire | 2004-07-26 |
| 2446 | NV - LOST CABIN FIRE - 07/17/02 | FM | Fire | 2002-07-17 |
| 1281 | NV - FLASH FLOODING 7/8/99 | DR | Severe Storm | 1999-07-20 |
| 723 | HEAVY RAINS & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1984-09-06 |
| 645 | SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1981-08-28 |
Storm Events in Nevada
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Clark County.
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Wind | 1,647 | 0 | 2 | $10.4M |
| Heavy Snow | 926 | 0 | 0 | $123.0K |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 463 | 3 | 0 | $8.7M |
| Flash Flood | 315 | 7 | 2 | $36.7M |
| Excessive Heat | 252 | 376 | 17 | $0 |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015-2025
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
Total Claims
626
Total Paid
$9.3M
Avg Per Claim
$14.8K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Very High
Score: 99.6/100
Expected Annual Loss
Relatively High
$812.6M/year
Social Vulnerability
Relatively Moderate
Community Resilience
Very Low
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Heat Wave Very High
Riverine Flooding Very High
Wildfire Relatively High
Earthquake Relatively High
Hail Relatively High
Landslide Relatively Moderate
Lightning Relatively High
Avalanche Relatively Moderate
Strong Wind Relatively Moderate
Winter Weather Relatively Moderate
Volcanic Activity Very Low
Drought Very Low
Tornado Very Low
Cold Wave Very Low
Hurricane No Rating
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: Heat Wave
Heat Wave is measured in event-days per year rather than discrete events, and it is the hazard whose harm is most consistently undercounted: its toll is health and mortality, concentrated among people without cooling, rather than visible damage to property.
Worth noting for Clark County: the model and the federal record do NOT point at the same hazard. Heat Wave 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
Clark County's closest FEMA peer: San Francisco County, CA
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Clark County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Similar modeled NRI score
Clark County: NRI composite 99.6 (Very High).
Similar Major-disaster share
Clark County: 5 of 14 of its declarations are Major.
Closest declaration profiles
Clark County shows 14 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 Clark County - capture-dated entries only.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by NRI score & FEMA declaration volume
Two PlainHazard-derived comparison paths for Clark 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: 99.6 (Very High).
Similar declaration volume
Nearest out-of-state counties by FEMA declaration count. This county: 14. NRI peers are excluded so the two link sets stay distinct.
Further reading for this county
Understanding disaster data
Clark County's NFIP claims file (626 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 Clark County?
The most common disaster type in Clark County is Fire, with 5 declarations. Other disaster types include Biological (2), Severe Storm (2), Snowstorm (2).
How does Clark County's FEMA declaration record compare with the Nevada average?
FEMA lists 14 declaration records for Clark County. That is 13% above the Nevada county mean of 12.4. Its count is also 32% 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 Clark County received?
Clark County has received 5 major disaster declarations, representing 36% of all 14 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Clark County filed?
Clark County has 626 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $9.3M in payments, with an average of $14.8K per claim.
Does FEMA's top risk-rated hazard match the highest Expected Annual Loss in Clark County?
No. In Clark County, Heat Wave has the highest National Risk Index rating (Very High), while Riverine Flooding leads Expected Annual Loss at about $362.2M. FEMA's risk score and dollar-loss model use different inputs, so the leaders often differ.
What was the worst year for disasters in Clark County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Clark County was 2005, with 5 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1981 to 2020.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Clark County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Clark County, Nevada has an overall risk score of 99.6 out of 100 (Very High). Social vulnerability here rates Relatively Moderate, while community resilience comes in at Very Low. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Relatively High, representing $812.6M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Clark County?
The top hazard flagged by FEMA's NRI for Clark County is Heat Wave (risk rating: Very High). Other significant hazards include Riverine Flooding (Very High) and Wildfire (Relatively High). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts heat wave here at 12 modeled event-days per year, drawn from 78 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 Clark County · vintage 2026-08-25 · Methodology · Nevada profile · Verify with FEMA OpenFEMA · Verify with NOAA Storm Events