FEMA Records
24
Above median
Georgia · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Ware County, GA
24 FEMA disaster declarations (1977-2024), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Low. Most common hazard: Hurricane.
- 24
- FEMA declarations
- 11
- Major disasters
- 49
- NRI risk · Relatively Low
- Hurricane
- Top hazard
The verdict
Two federal records point in the busier direction for Ware County. Its 24 FEMA declarations are 38% above the Georgia county mean and exceed the count for 66% of the 3,266 counties in this registry. Separately, FEMA's National Risk Index places it safer than 49%, based on modeled expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience.
- Safer than 49%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Relatively Low
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 24
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 44
- 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.
How does Ware County compare?
Ware County vs. all counties in this dataset
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time
24 Top 34% higher than 66% 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 · 2026-08-03
Ware County's FEMA Risk Index score
FEMA National Risk Index composite score vs. the Georgia county average
Which hazard drives modeled loss here?
FEMA's modeled annual dollar loss for Ware County is led by Riverine Flooding (about $4.5M Expected Annual Loss, Historical Loss Ratio Relatively Low), while Hurricane 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 Ware County's hazard record show?
FEMA National Risk Index
FEMA's data shows an elevated National Risk Index composite of 49.4/100 for this county (Relatively Low rating). Expected Annual Loss comes in at Very Low (roughly $12.1M in annualized losses). Social vulnerability (Relatively High) and community resilience (Very High) both factor into how that raw exposure plays out on the ground. Among the 18 modeled hazards, Hurricane carries the county's highest rating, a mid-range Relatively Moderate. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at roughly once every 4 years here, based on 121 historical events on record.
Declaration frequency
The FEMA register is busy by both local and national comparisons. It contains 24 entries for Ware County, including 11 Major Disaster records, 38% above the Georgia county mean. Across the 47-year span, that works out to 0.5 declarations a year. Hurricane leads the file with 9 entries. Declaration type records the federal action taken, not every assistance program approved.
Reading the federal records together
This county has a small entry in FEMA's NFIP paid-claims table: 44 claims and $286.6K 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.
The declaration register points in the busier direction. Ware County's 24 federal records stand 38% above the Georgia county mean of 17.4. 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.
65 /100
Historical Activity Index
High historical activity
Ware County, GA · 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
17/30
24 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (1.2x national county average)
County Disaster Density High
17/25
24 declarations (1.4x state county average of 17)
Major Disaster Share Moderate
11/25
11 of 24 declarations are major disasters (46%)
Hazard Diversity Very High
20/20
9 different disaster types declared in Ware County
Historical Declaration Activity
Activity Band
High
vs. Georgia Avg
+38%
State avg: 17.4
vs. National Avg
+16%
National avg: 20.7
Avg Per Year
0.5
Over 47 years
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Ware 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
46%
Mixed major share
NRI risk score
49
Relatively Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Ware 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 4 years |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | roughly once every 601 years |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | roughly once every 711 years |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | an average of 75 times per year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | roughly once every 2 years |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 4.8 modeled event-days per year |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 26 modeled event-days per year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | roughly once every 3 years |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | an average of 1.1 times per year |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | roughly once every 3 years |
| Landslide | Very Low | roughly once every 9 years |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | an average of 1.2 times per year |
| Hail | Very Low | an average of 1.9 times per year |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | roughly once every 67 years |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Hurricane 9
Fire 4
Tropical Storm 3
Biological 2
Severe Storm 2
Tornado 1
Snowstorm 1
Flood 1
Drought 1
What Hurricane declarations mean here
Hurricane is the most frequent declaration type on Ware County's federal record, 38% of its declarations. Atlantic tropical systems run on a defined season, 1 June to 30 November, with most activity concentrated between August and October; Pacific and territorial basins run on their own calendars. A single named storm routinely produces one declaration number covering a long corridor of counties at once, well inland as well as on the coast, which is why an affected county's count can jump by several in one year without several separate events having occurred.
One practical distinction matters when reading these records: a tropical declaration usually bundles wind, storm surge and inland rainfall flooding under a single incident, but the insurance behind them is split. Wind damage falls to property insurers, while flood and surge damage is covered only under a separate National Flood Insurance Program policy. That is why a county can show heavy declaration activity and a comparatively small NFIP claims record, or the reverse.
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 - 11 45.8%
of all 24 declarations
Emergency - 9 37.5%
of all 24 declarations
Fire Management - 4 16.7%
of all 24 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | |
| 2023 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 2 | |
| 2019 | 1 | |
| 2017 | 6 | |
| 2011 | 2 | |
| 2009 | 1 | |
| 2007 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 1 | |
| 2004 | 1 | |
| 1998 | 1 | |
| 1993 | 1 | |
| 1991 | 1 | |
| 1977 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 24 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 24 declarations as CSV . FEMA source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4830 | HURRICANE HELENE | DR | Hurricane | 2024-09-30 |
| 3616 | HURRICANE HELENE | EM | Tropical Storm | 2024-09-26 |
| 4821 | TROPICAL STORM DEBBY | DR | Tropical Storm | 2024-09-24 |
| 3607 | HURRICANE DEBBY | EM | Tropical Storm | 2024-08-05 |
| 4738 | HURRICANE IDALIA | DR | Hurricane | 2023-09-07 |
| 4501 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-03-29 |
| 3464 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 3406 | HURRICANE MICHAEL | EM | Hurricane | 2018-10-10 |
| 4338 | HURRICANE IRMA | DR | Hurricane | 2017-09-15 |
| 3387 | HURRICANE IRMA | EM | Hurricane | 2017-09-08 |
| 5181 | WEST MIMS FIRE | FM | Fire | 2017-05-08 |
| 4297 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING | DR | Tornado | 2017-01-26 |
| 4284 | HURRICANE MATTHEW | DR | Hurricane | 2016-10-08 |
| 3379 | HURRICANE MATTHEW | EM | Hurricane | 2016-10-06 |
| 2921 | SWEAT FARM AGAIN FIRE | FM | Fire | 2011-06-16 |
| 2920 | RACEPOND WILDFIRE | FM | Fire | 2011-06-15 |
| 1833 | SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, TORNADOES, AND STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS | DR | Severe Storm | 2009-04-23 |
| 2685 | SWEAT FARM ROAD FIRE | FM | Fire | 2007-04-17 |
| 3218 | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM | Hurricane | 2005-09-05 |
| 1560 | TROPICAL STORM FRANCES | DR | Hurricane | 2004-09-24 |
Show 4 earlier declaration records
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1209 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 1998-03-11 |
| 3097 | SEVERE SNOWFALL, WINTER STORM | EM | Snowstorm | 1993-03-15 |
| 897 | SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1991-03-15 |
| 3044 | DROUGHT | EM | Drought | 1977-07-20 |
Storm Events in Georgia
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Ware County.
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 9,617 | 15 | 75 | $65.4M |
| Drought | 1,363 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Hail | 1,257 | 0 | 0 | $61.8M |
| Flash Flood | 1,154 | 0 | 3 | $29.3M |
| Tropical Storm | 655 | 28 | 19 | $855.3M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015-2025
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
Total Claims
44
Total Paid
$286.6K
Avg Per Claim
$6.5K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Relatively Low
Score: 49.4/100
Expected Annual Loss
Very Low
$12.1M/year
Social Vulnerability
Relatively High
Community Resilience
Very High
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Hurricane Relatively Moderate
Wildfire Relatively Low
Earthquake Relatively Low
Lightning Relatively Moderate
Tornado Relatively Low
Heat Wave Relatively Low
Drought Relatively Low
Riverine Flooding Relatively Low
Strong Wind Relatively Low
Winter Weather Very Low
Landslide Very Low
Cold Wave Very Low
Hail Very Low
Ice Storm 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
The model's sharpest exposure here: Hurricane
Hurricane exposure in the model bundles the three ways a tropical system does harm, which arrive on different timescales and are insured differently: wind, storm surge on the coast, and rainfall flooding that can reach far inland well after landfall.
For Ware County the two measures on this page point the same way: Hurricane is the county's highest-rated modeled hazard (Relatively Moderate), and Hurricane 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
Ware County's closest FEMA peer: Ellis County, TX
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Ware County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Closest declaration profiles
Ware County shows 24 FEMA declarations, led by Hurricane.
Similar Major-disaster share
Ware County: 11 of 24 of its declarations are Major.
Similar modeled NRI score
Ware County: NRI composite 49.4 (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 Ware County - capture-dated entries only.
Further reading for this county
Most disaster-prone counties
With 24 FEMA declarations, Ware 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).
Related
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common disaster type in Ware County?
The most common disaster type in Ware County is Hurricane, with 9 declarations. Other disaster types include Fire (4), Tropical Storm (3), Biological (2).
How does Ware County's FEMA declaration record compare with the Georgia average?
FEMA lists 24 declaration records for Ware County. That is 38% above the Georgia county mean of 17.4. Its count is also 16% above 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 Ware County received?
Ware County has received 11 major disaster declarations, representing 46% of all 24 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Ware County filed?
Ware County has 44 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $286.6K in payments, with an average of $6.5K per claim.
Does FEMA's top risk-rated hazard match the highest Expected Annual Loss in Ware County?
No. In Ware County, Hurricane has the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively Moderate), while Riverine Flooding leads Expected Annual Loss at about $4.5M. FEMA's risk score and dollar-loss model use different inputs, so the leaders often differ.
What was the worst year for disasters in Ware County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Ware County was 2017, with 6 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1977 to 2024.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Ware County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Ware County, Georgia has an overall risk score of 49.4 out of 100 (Relatively Low). On social vulnerability the county rates Relatively High; on community resilience, Very High. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Very Low, representing $12.1M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Ware County?
FEMA's NRI data points to Ware County is Hurricane (risk rating: Relatively Moderate). Other significant hazards include Wildfire (Relatively Low) and Earthquake (Relatively Low). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts hurricane here at roughly once every 4 years, drawn from 121 historical events on record. 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.
What this means for Ware County
Ware County, GA has 24 federal declaration records, 38% more than the Georgia county mean of 17; its history sits in PlainHazard's high activity band.
- Within this above-state-average declaration file, major disaster leads with 11 of 24 records; the category describes past federal action, not the next likely hazard. Georgia overview
- The state benchmark and national rank point the same way: this count tops the Georgia mean and the totals for 66% of 3,266 U.S. counties. Most-disaster rankings
- A short NFIP claims file cannot establish low flood exposure; the data guide explains the limits of each federal measure. Disaster-data guide
An above-average declaration count records past federal responses; it does not predict the next event. Current warnings come from the National Weather Service and local emergency officials.
PlainHazard derives this profile from FEMA's Disaster Declarations Summaries and National Risk Index data. The declaration comparison covers 3,266 U.S. counties and county equivalents in this database, refreshed as of 2026-08-03. 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. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or national statistics report, the data & editorial changelog, or report a data error.