FEMA Records
12
Total declarations
Washington · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Spokane County, WA
12 FEMA disaster declarations (2014–2026), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Moderate. Most common hazard: Fire.
- 12
- FEMA declarations
- 3
- Major disasters
- 90
- NRI risk · Relatively Moderate
- Fire
- Top hazard
The verdict
Spokane County ranks in the riskiest 10% of U.S. counties for FEMA-modeled hazard risk, with more federally declared disasters than 96% of the 2,791 counties FEMA tracks. FEMA rates the county's overall risk as Relatively Moderate, based on 12 federal disaster declarations recorded since 2014, most often fire, 212% above the national county average of 4.
- Riskiest 10%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Relatively Moderate
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 12
- FEMA declarations vs 4 national county avg
- 10
- fire declarations, the most common hazard here
FEMA's National Risk Index score reflects expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience; the declaration count above reflects only Presidentially declared disasters, not every hazard event.
How does Spokane County compare?
Spokane County vs. every U.S. county
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time
12 Top 4% higher than 96% of 2,791 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 · 2026-07-25
Spokane County's FEMA Risk Index score
FEMA National Risk Index composite score vs. the Washington county average
How disaster-prone is Spokane County?
Declaration frequency
Spokane County, Washington has recorded 12 FEMA disaster declarations between 2014 and 2026, of which 3 were classified as Major Disaster declarations (DR) requiring federal individual and public assistance. That puts the county's average at 1.0 declarations per year across a 12-year record, or roughly 86% above the Washington county average of 6.4 and 212% above the national county average of 3.8. The dominant disaster type on record is Fire, with 10 of 12 declarations falling under this category.
FEMA National Risk Index
This county sits among the highest-risk counties nationally on FEMA's National Risk Index, a composite score of 90.0/100 (Relatively Moderate). Expected Annual Loss is rated Relatively Moderate (roughly $98.8M in annualized losses). Social vulnerability reads Relatively Low and community resilience Relatively High, both critical modifiers of realized harm here. Of the 18 hazards FEMA models, Cold Wave stands out as the sharpest exposure here, rated Relatively High.
Flood exposure & the bottom line
Taken together, these indicators place Spokane County at a high relative risk level, its federal disaster history outpaces most of the country, and it is worth pairing that record with forward-looking hazard maps before making insurance or relocation decisions.
Risk Assessment
Risk Level
High
vs. Washington Avg
+86%
State avg: 6.4
vs. National Avg
+212%
National avg: 3.8
Avg Per Year
1.0
Over 12 years
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Spokane County
How to read this radar
The radar plots Spokane County's relative exposure to the eight headline natural hazards used by the FEMA National Risk Index. Each axis is the qualitative NRI risk rating (Very Low through Very High) re-expressed on a 0-100 scale so that the polygon shape lets you compare a county against another at a glance. A rounder polygon means broad multi-hazard exposure; a spiky polygon means one or two dominant hazards drive most of the modeled risk.
NRI Source
FEMA 2023
Latest NRI release
County FIPS
53063
WA state code
Source: FEMA National Risk Index FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, 2023 release
Disaster Types
Fire 10
Severe Storm 1
Biological 1
Declaration Types
What DR / EM / FM mean
FEMA categorizes declarations as Major Disasters (DR), Emergencies (EM), or Fire Management Assistance (FM).
Fire Management - 9 75.0%
of all 12 declarations
Major Disaster - 3 25.0%
of all 12 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 1 | |
| 2023 | 2 | |
| 2021 | 2 | |
| 2020 | 2 | |
| 2018 | 1 | |
| 2016 | 2 | |
| 2014 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5638 | UPRIVER FIRE | FM | Fire | 2026-06-16 |
| 4759 | WILDFIRES | DR | Fire | 2024-02-15 |
| 5481 | OREGON FIRE | FM | Fire | 2023-08-19 |
| 5479 | GRAY FIRE | FM | Fire | 2023-08-18 |
| 5395 | ANDRUS FIRE | FM | Fire | 2021-07-06 |
| 4593 | SEVERE WINTER STORM, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES | DR | Severe Storm | 2021-04-08 |
| 5355 | BABB FIRE | FM | Fire | 2020-09-08 |
| 4481 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-03-22 |
| 5254 | UPRIVER BEACON FIRE | FM | Fire | 2018-07-17 |
| 5149 | YALE FIRE | FM | Fire | 2016-08-22 |
| 5148 | WELLESLEY FIRE | FM | Fire | 2016-08-22 |
| 5063 | WATERMELON HILL FIRE | FM | Fire | 2014-07-19 |
Storm Events in Washington
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Snow | 1,874 | 5 | 13 | $2.4M |
| High Wind | 686 | 15 | 6 | $1.1B |
| Wildfire | 357 | 4 | 5 | $2.7B |
| Winter Weather | 319 | 12 | 62 | $1.3M |
| Flood | 281 | 6 | 0 | $396.2M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015–2025
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Relatively Moderate
Score: 90.0/100
Expected Annual Loss
Relatively Moderate
$98.8M/year
Social Vulnerability
Relatively Low
Community Resilience
Relatively High
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Cold Wave Relatively High
Ice Storm Very High
Wildfire Relatively Moderate
Heat Wave Relatively Moderate
Strong Wind Relatively High
Winter Weather Relatively High
Earthquake Relatively Low
Avalanche Relatively Moderate
Hail Relatively Low
Lightning Relatively Moderate
Landslide Very Low
Tornado Relatively Low
Drought Very Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) Ratings reflect relative scores among all US counties. Data: hazards.fema.gov/nri
Counties with Similar Risk in Washington
Disaster Preparedness Guides
Related
Frequently Asked Questions
How many natural disasters has Spokane County, Washington had?
Spokane County, Washington has received 12 FEMA disaster declarations from 2014 to 2026. Of these, 3 were major disaster declarations.
What is the most common disaster type in Spokane County?
The most common disaster type in Spokane County is Fire, with 10 declarations. Other disaster types include Severe Storm (1), Biological (1).
How does Spokane County's disaster risk compare to the Washington average?
Spokane County has 12 disaster declarations, which is 86% higher than the Washington county average of 6.4 declarations. Compared to the national county average of 3.8, it is 212% higher.
How many major FEMA disaster declarations has Spokane County received?
Spokane County has received 3 major disaster declarations, representing 25% of all 12 disaster declarations. Major disaster declarations typically involve significant damage requiring federal assistance.
What types of storms are most common in Washington?
The most common storm types in Washington include Heavy Snow (1,874 events), High Wind (686 events), Wildfire (357 events). NOAA storm event data covers severe weather from 2015 to 2025.
What was the worst year for disasters in Spokane County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Spokane County was 2016, with 2 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 2014 to 2026.
What is the overall disaster risk level for Spokane County?
Spokane County has recorded 12 FEMA disaster declarations, a volume FEMA data classifies as high-risk, well above what most U.S. counties see over the same period.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Spokane County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Spokane County, Washington has an overall risk score of 90.0 out of 100 (Relatively Moderate). The county's social vulnerability rating is Relatively Low and community resilience is Relatively High. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Relatively Moderate, representing $98.8M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Spokane County?
Based on FEMA NRI data, the highest-risk natural hazard in Spokane County is Cold Wave (risk rating: Relatively High). Other significant hazards include Ice Storm (Very High) and Wildfire (Relatively Moderate). 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.
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.
What this means for Spokane County
Spokane County, WA runs 86% above the Washington county average for federal disaster declarations (12 vs 6), a high historical load overall.
- Its most common federal declaration type is fire management (9 of 12) - know the hazards most likely here before they happen. Washington overview
- See how this county ranks against the rest of the country for disaster frequency. Most-disaster rankings
- Read how to read FEMA declarations, NRI risk scores, and what they do and don't tell you. Disaster-data guide
Historical declaration counts describe past federal response, not a forecast. For current threats, follow the National Weather Service and local officials; in an emergency call 911.
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, this profile draws on 2,791 tracked U.S. counties in FEMA's Disaster Declarations Summaries dataset, refreshed as of 2026-07-25. Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FEMA OpenFEMA, Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 - all federally-declared disasters for this county. fema.gov/openfema/disaster-declarations
- FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) - per-county per-hazard risk ratings and expected annual loss. hazards.fema.gov/nri
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database - state-level storm/severe-weather event records, 2015–2025. ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainHazard Editorial
Verify with FEMA → · Verify with FEMA NRI → · Verify with NOAA →
Every figure on PlainHazard is rendered directly from FEMA federal disaster data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on FEMA federal disaster data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or national statistics report, or report a data error.