FEMA Records
12
Low volume
Washington · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Grant County, WA
12 FEMA disaster declarations (1977-2023), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Low. Most common hazard: Fire.
- 12
- FEMA declarations
- 5
- Major disasters
- 77
- NRI risk · Relatively Low
- Fire
- Top hazard
The verdict
Grant County has a nationally busy FEMA history: 12 declarations, more than 14% of counties in this registry. But the state comparison tempers that reading: the total is 52% below the Washington county mean. FEMA's separate National Risk Index places the county in the riskiest 23%; that score models loss and vulnerability rather than counting declarations.
- Riskiest 23%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Relatively Low
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 12
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 18
- 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 53025 · Grant County 12 declarations · rank 2747/3,266
DECL-MID · MAJOR-LIGHT · RANK-LOWER · PHOTO-FINISH · NRI-LOW · ACT-HIGH · TYPE-LEAD · VS-ST-LOW
- DECL-MID 12
- MAJOR-LIGHT 42%
- RANK-LOWER #2,747
- PHOTO-FINISH Johnson
- NRI-LOW 77
- ACT-HIGH High
- TYPE-LEAD Fire
- VS-ST-LOW -52%
Nearest declaration peer: Johnson, KS (0 declaration gap)
FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 filing stamps for this county register. Read with this county → · Washington state profile
Grant County among counties with fewer federal records
FEMA declaration records among Grant County and nearest peers by total count
- Los Angeles · largest
Los Angeles · largest
88 declarations
- Crane · near 12
Crane · near
12 declarations
- Grant · this county 12
Grant · this county
12 declarations
- Johnson · near 12
Johnson · near
12 declarations
- Seward · near 12
Seward · near
12 declarations
- Ujelang · smallest 1
Ujelang · smallest
1 declarations
What this shows Grant County carries 12 FEMA declaration records, ranked 2747 of 3,266 counties in this registry.
Grant County versus quieter counties in this dataset
Grant County among lower-declaration counties nationally
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time · Grant County
12 14th percentile higher than 14% 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
Grant County's FEMA Risk Index score
Which hazard drives modeled loss here?
FEMA's modeled annual dollar loss for Grant County is led by Riverine Flooding (about $13.8M Expected Annual Loss, Historical Loss Ratio Relatively Low), while Wildfire carries the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively Moderate). 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 Grant County's hazard record show?
FEMA National Risk Index
This county sits among the highest-risk counties nationally on FEMA's National Risk Index, a composite score of 76.9/100 (Relatively Low). Expected Annual Loss is rated Relatively Low (roughly $29.0M in annualized losses). Social vulnerability reads Relatively High and community resilience Very Low, both critical modifiers of realized harm here. 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 159 years here.
Reading the federal records together
This county has a small entry in FEMA's NFIP paid-claims table: 18 claims and $80.8K 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 Grant County has 12. The gap is 52% 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.
43 /100
Historical Activity Index
Moderate historical activity
Grant 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) Moderate
9/30
12 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (0.6x national county average)
County Disaster Density Low
6/25
12 declarations (0.5x state county average of 25)
Major Disaster Share Moderate
10/25
5 of 12 declarations are major disasters (42%)
Hazard Diversity Very High
18/20
7 different disaster types declared in Grant County
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Grant 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
42%
Mixed major share
NRI risk score
77
Relatively Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Grant 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 159 years |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | an average of 1.1 times per year |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | roughly once every 203 years |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 4.7 modeled event-days per year |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | roughly once every 75 years |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | roughly once every 2 years |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 3 years |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | an average of 9.7 times per year |
| Avalanche | Very Low | roughly once every 100 years |
| Hail | Relatively Low | roughly once every 9 years |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | an average of 9.2 times per year |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 19 modeled event-days per year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | roughly once every 6 years |
| Tornado | Very Low | roughly once every 10 years |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | roughly once every 67 years |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Fire 4
Biological 2
Severe Storm 2
Flood 1
Coastal Storm 1
Volcanic Eruption 1
Drought 1
What Fire declarations mean here
Fire is the most frequent declaration type on Grant County's record, 33% 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 41.7%
of all 12 declarations
Fire Management - 4 33.3%
of all 12 declarations
Emergency - 3 25.0%
of all 12 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 2 | |
| 2018 | 2 | |
| 2017 | 1 | |
| 2012 | 1 | |
| 2007 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 1 | |
| 1997 | 1 | |
| 1980 | 1 | |
| 1977 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 12 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 12 declarations as CSV . FEMA source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5469 | BAIRD SPRINGS FIRE | FM | Fire | 2023-07-11 |
| 4481 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-03-22 |
| 3427 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 5271 | GRASS VALLEY FIRE | FM | Fire | 2018-08-12 |
| 5257 | BUCKSHOT FIRE | FM | Fire | 2018-07-20 |
| 4309 | SEVERE WINTER STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, MUDSLIDES | DR | Flood | 2017-04-21 |
| 5013 | BARKER CANYON FIRE | FM | Fire | 2012-09-09 |
| 1682 | SEVERE WINTER STORM, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES | DR | Severe Storm | 2007-02-14 |
| 3227 | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM | Coastal Storm | 2005-09-07 |
| 1159 | SEVERE WINTER STORMS, LAND & MUDS SLIDES,FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 1997-01-17 |
| 623 | VOLCANIC ERUPTION, MT. ST. HELENS | DR | Volcanic Eruption | 1980-05-21 |
| 3037 | DROUGHT | EM | Drought | 1977-03-31 |
Storm Events in Washington
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Grant 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
18
Total Paid
$80.8K
Avg Per Claim
$4.5K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Relatively Low
Score: 76.9/100
Expected Annual Loss
Relatively Low
$29.0M/year
Social Vulnerability
Relatively High
Community Resilience
Very Low
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Wildfire Relatively Moderate
Cold Wave Relatively High
Earthquake Relatively Low
Heat Wave Relatively Moderate
Volcanic Activity Very Low
Landslide Relatively Low
Riverine Flooding Relatively Moderate
Winter Weather Relatively Moderate
Avalanche Very Low
Hail Relatively Low
Lightning Relatively Low
Drought Relatively Low
Strong Wind Relatively Low
Tornado Very Low
Ice Storm 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 Grant 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
Grant County's closest FEMA peer: Sandoval County, NM
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Grant County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Similar modeled NRI score
Grant County: NRI composite 76.9 (Relatively Low).
Similar Major-disaster share
Grant County: 5 of 12 of its declarations are Major.
Closest declaration profiles
Grant County shows 12 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 Grant County - capture-dated entries only.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by NRI score & FEMA declaration volume
Two PlainHazard-derived comparison paths for Grant 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: 76.9 (Relatively Low).
Similar declaration volume
Nearest out-of-state counties by FEMA declaration count. This county: 12. NRI peers are excluded so the two link sets stay distinct.
Further reading for this county
Most disaster-prone counties
With 12 FEMA declarations, Grant 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 Grant County?
The most common disaster type in Grant County is Fire, with 4 declarations. Other disaster types include Biological (2), Severe Storm (2), Flood (1).
How does Grant County's FEMA declaration record compare with the Washington average?
The typical Washington county has 24.9 FEMA declaration records; Grant County has 12, or 52% fewer. Against the national county mean of 20.7, this county's total is 42% lower. The comparison is historical and says nothing about the probability of a future event.
How many major FEMA disaster declarations has Grant County received?
Grant County has received 5 major disaster declarations, representing 42% of all 12 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Grant County filed?
Grant County has 18 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $80.8K in payments, with an average of $4.5K per claim.
Does FEMA's top risk-rated hazard match the highest Expected Annual Loss in Grant County?
No. In Grant County, Wildfire has the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively Moderate), while Riverine Flooding leads Expected Annual Loss at about $13.8M. FEMA's risk score and dollar-loss model use different inputs, so the leaders often differ.
What was the worst year for disasters in Grant County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Grant County was 2018, with 2 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1977 to 2023.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Grant County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Grant County, Washington has an overall risk score of 76.9 out of 100 (Relatively Low). The county's social vulnerability rating is Relatively High and community resilience is Very Low. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Relatively Low, representing $29.0M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Grant County?
Based on FEMA NRI data, the highest-risk natural hazard in Grant County is Wildfire (risk rating: Relatively Moderate). Other significant hazards include Cold Wave (Relatively High) and Earthquake (Relatively Low). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts wildfire here at roughly once every 159 years. FEMA derives these ratings from historical event frequency, the assets exposed, and the community's vulnerability profile.
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 Grant County · vintage 2026-08-25 · Methodology · Washington profile · Verify with FEMA OpenFEMA · Verify with NOAA Storm Events