FEMA Records
22
Above median
Washington · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Ferry County, WA
22 FEMA disaster declarations (1974-2024), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Low. Most common hazard: Fire.
- 22
- FEMA declarations
- 12
- Major disasters
- 52
- NRI risk · Relatively Low
- Fire
- Top hazard
The verdict
Ferry County has a nationally busy FEMA history: 22 declarations, more than 57% of counties in this registry. But the state comparison tempers that reading: the total is 12% below the Washington county mean. FEMA's separate National Risk Index places the county in the riskiest 48%; that score models loss and vulnerability rather than counting declarations.
- Riskiest 48%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Relatively Low
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 22
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 4
- 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 53019 · Ferry County 22 declarations · rank 1337/3,266
DECL-HEAVY · MAJOR-MID · RANK-LOWER · PHOTO-FINISH · NRI-LOW · ACT-HIGH · TYPE-LEAD · VS-ST-BELOW
- DECL-HEAVY 22
- MAJOR-MID 55%
- RANK-LOWER #1,337
- PHOTO-FINISH Hardy
- NRI-LOW 52
- ACT-HIGH High
- TYPE-LEAD Fire
- VS-ST-BELOW -12%
Nearest declaration peer: Hardy, WV (0 declaration gap)
FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 filing stamps for this county register. Read with this county → · Washington state profile
Ferry County in the declaration-count neighbourhood
FEMA declaration records among Ferry County and nearest peers by total count
- Los Angeles · largest
Los Angeles · largest
88 declarations
- Ferry · this county 22
Ferry · this county
22 declarations
- Hardy · near 22
Hardy · near
22 declarations
- Prairie · near 22
Prairie · near
22 declarations
- St. Francis · near 22
St. Francis · near
22 declarations
- Ujelang · smallest 1
Ujelang · smallest
1 declarations
What this shows Ferry County carries 22 FEMA declaration records, ranked 1337 of 3,266 counties in this registry.
How Ferry County's FEMA declaration count compares nationally
Ferry County vs. all counties in this dataset
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time · Ferry County
22 Top 43% higher than 57% 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
Ferry County's FEMA Risk Index score
What does Ferry County's hazard record show?
FEMA National Risk Index
This county carries a high composite score on FEMA's National Risk Index, 51.7/100, rated Relatively Low. Its Expected Annual Loss rating is Very Low (roughly $10.5M in annualized losses), and a Very High social-vulnerability profile combined with Very Low community resilience shapes how much of that raw exposure becomes realized harm. Among the 18 modeled hazards, Wildfire carries the county's highest rating, a mid-range Relatively Moderate. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at roughly once every 99 years here.
Reading the federal records together
This county has a small entry in FEMA's NFIP paid-claims table: 4 claims and $53.7K paid in total. PlainHazard calls 1-49 claims a light registry record, a label for this dataset rather than a finding that flood exposure is low. A short claims history can also reflect insurance take-up, the period covered, or losses that were never insured.
Start with the state benchmark: a Washington county averages 24.9 federal declaration records, while Ferry County has 22. The gap is 12% below that mean. Fewer entries indicate a quieter history of recorded federal actions, not immunity from a hazard and not a prediction about what happens next.
59 /100
Historical Activity Index
High historical activity
Ferry County, WA · 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) High
16/30
22 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (1.1x national county average)
County Disaster Density Moderate
11/25
22 declarations (0.9x state county average of 25)
Major Disaster Share High
14/25
12 of 22 declarations are major disasters (55%)
Hazard Diversity Very High
18/20
7 different disaster types declared in Ferry County
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Ferry 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
55%
Major-heavy
NRI risk score
52
Relatively Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Ferry 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 99 years |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | an average of 1.7 times per year |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | roughly once every 1,000 years |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | roughly once every 1 years |
| Earthquake | Very Low | roughly once every 429 years |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | roughly once every 1 years |
| Avalanche | Very Low | roughly once every 100 years |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 3.6 modeled event-days per year |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | an average of 21 times per year |
| Drought | Very Low | 11 modeled event-days per year |
| Lightning | Very Low | an average of 20 times per year |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | roughly once every 7 years |
| Hail | Very Low | roughly once every 7 years |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | roughly once every 57 years |
| Tornado | Very Low | roughly once every 15 years |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Fire 10
Severe Storm 5
Biological 2
Flood 2
Coastal Storm 1
Volcanic Eruption 1
Drought 1
What Fire declarations mean here
Fire is the most frequent declaration type on Ferry County's record, 45% 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 - 12 54.5%
of all 22 declarations
Fire Management - 6 27.3%
of all 22 declarations
Emergency - 4 18.2%
of all 22 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2 | |
| 2021 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 2 | |
| 2018 | 1 | |
| 2017 | 1 | |
| 2016 | 1 | |
| 2015 | 4 | |
| 2012 | 1 | |
| 2009 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 1 | |
| 2001 | 1 | |
| 1999 | 1 | |
| 1997 | 1 | |
| 1992 | 1 | |
| 1980 | 1 | |
Show 2 earlier declaration years
| 1977 | 1 | |
| 1974 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 22 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 22 declarations as CSV . FEMA source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5518 | SWAWILLA FIRE | FM | Fire | 2024-07-24 |
| 4775 | SEVERE WINTER STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES | DR | Severe Storm | 2024-04-28 |
| 4584 | WILDFIRES AND STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS | DR | Fire | 2021-02-04 |
| 4481 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-03-22 |
| 3427 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 5273 | BOYD'S FIRE | FM | Fire | 2018-08-13 |
| 4309 | SEVERE WINTER STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, MUDSLIDES | DR | Flood | 2017-04-21 |
| 4243 | WILDFIRES AND MUDSLIDES | DR | Fire | 2015-10-20 |
| 5108 | RENNER FIRE | FM | Fire | 2015-08-21 |
| 3372 | WILDFIRES | EM | Fire | 2015-08-21 |
| 5101 | STICKPIN FIRE | FM | Fire | 2015-08-15 |
| 5104 | OKANAGAN COUNTY FIRE COMPLEX | FM | Fire | 2015-08-15 |
| 4083 | SEVERE STORM, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2012-09-25 |
| 1825 | SEVERE WINTER STORM AND RECORD AND NEAR RECORD SNOW | DR | Severe Storm | 2009-03-02 |
| 3227 | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM | Coastal Storm | 2005-09-07 |
| 2378 | WA - MT LEONA FIRE COMPLEX - 2378 | FM | Fire | 2001-08-17 |
| 1252 | WA STORMS & FLOODING 5/26/98 | DR | Severe Storm | 1998-10-05 |
| 1159 | SEVERE WINTER STORMS, LAND & MUDS SLIDES,FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 1997-01-17 |
| 922 | FIRES | DR | Fire | 1991-11-13 |
| 623 | VOLCANIC ERUPTION, MT. ST. HELENS | DR | Volcanic Eruption | 1980-05-21 |
Show 2 earlier declaration records
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3037 | DROUGHT | EM | Drought | 1977-03-31 |
| 414 | SEVERE STORMS, SNOWMELT & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1974-01-25 |
Storm Events in Washington
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Ferry County.
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Snow | 1,700 | 5 | 7 | $2.3M |
| High Wind | 614 | 15 | 6 | $1.1B |
| Wildfire | 299 | 4 | 4 | $1.8B |
| Winter Weather | 259 | 9 | 62 | $1.1M |
| Flood | 231 | 4 | 0 | $391.2M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015-2025
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
Total Claims
4
Total Paid
$53.7K
Avg Per Claim
$13.4K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Relatively Low
Score: 51.7/100
Expected Annual Loss
Very Low
$10.5M/year
Social Vulnerability
Very High
Community Resilience
Very Low
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Wildfire Relatively Moderate
Landslide Relatively Moderate
Volcanic Activity Very Low
Riverine Flooding Relatively Low
Earthquake Very Low
Cold Wave Relatively Low
Avalanche Very Low
Heat Wave Very Low
Winter Weather Very Low
Drought Very Low
Lightning Very Low
Strong Wind Very Low
Hail Very Low
Ice Storm Very Low
Tornado Very 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: Wildfire
Wildfire risk in the model reflects fuel, terrain, weather and how much development sits in the wildland-urban interface. It is one of the few hazards where the exposure is materially changed by land management and building choices, not only by where the county happens to be.
For Ferry County the two measures on this page point the same way: Wildfire is the county's highest-rated modeled hazard (Relatively Moderate), and Fire declarations also lead its federal record. Where the model and the declaration history agree, the reading is comparatively straightforward, the hazard is both expected and repeatedly realised.
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
Ferry County's closest FEMA peer: Aguada Municipio, PR
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Ferry County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Closest declaration profiles
Ferry County shows 22 FEMA declarations, led by Fire.
Similar Major-disaster share
Ferry County: 12 of 22 of its declarations are Major.
Similar modeled NRI score
Ferry County: NRI composite 51.7 (Relatively Low).
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 Ferry County - capture-dated entries only.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by NRI score & FEMA declaration volume
Two PlainHazard-derived comparison paths for Ferry 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: 51.7 (Relatively Low).
Similar declaration volume
Nearest out-of-state counties by FEMA declaration count. This county: 22. NRI peers are excluded so the two link sets stay distinct.
Further reading for this county
Most disaster-prone counties
With 22 FEMA declarations, Ferry County sits in the high-volume declaration band - see how that count ranks against other U.S. counties.
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 Ferry County?
The most common disaster type in Ferry County is Fire, with 10 declarations. Other disaster types include Severe Storm (5), Biological (2), Flood (2).
How does Ferry County's FEMA declaration record compare with the Washington average?
The typical Washington county has 24.9 FEMA declaration records; Ferry County has 22, or 12% fewer. Against the national county mean of 20.7, this county's total is 6% higher. The comparison is historical and says nothing about the probability of a future event.
How many major FEMA disaster declarations has Ferry County received?
Ferry County has received 12 major disaster declarations, representing 55% of all 22 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Ferry County filed?
Ferry County has 4 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $53.7K in payments, with an average of $13.4K per claim.
What was the worst year for disasters in Ferry County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Ferry County was 2015, with 4 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1974 to 2024.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Ferry County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Ferry County, Washington has an overall risk score of 51.7 out of 100 (Relatively Low). On social vulnerability the county rates Very High; on community resilience, Very Low. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Very Low, representing $10.5M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Ferry County?
FEMA's NRI data points to Ferry County is Wildfire (risk rating: Relatively Moderate). Other significant hazards include Landslide (Relatively Moderate) and Volcanic Activity (Very Low). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts wildfire here at roughly once every 99 years. The underlying methodology weighs historical event frequency against 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 Ferry County · vintage 2026-08-25 · Methodology · Washington profile · Verify with FEMA OpenFEMA · Verify with NOAA Storm Events