FEMA Records
14
Low volume
Montana · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Yellowstone County, MT
14 FEMA disaster declarations (1978-2022), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Moderate. Most common hazard: Fire.
- 14
- FEMA declarations
- 6
- Major disasters
- 84
- NRI risk · Relatively Moderate
- Fire
- Top hazard
The verdict
Two federal records point in the busier direction for Yellowstone County. Its 14 FEMA declarations are 27% above the Montana 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 16%, based on modeled expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience.
- Riskiest 16%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Relatively Moderate
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 14
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 272
- 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 30111 · Yellowstone County 14 declarations · rank 2590/3,266
DECL-MID · MAJOR-LIGHT · RANK-LOWER · PHOTO-FINISH · NRI-MID · ACT-HIGH · TYPE-LEAD · VS-ST-ABOVE
- DECL-MID 14
- MAJOR-LIGHT 43%
- RANK-LOWER #2,590
- PHOTO-FINISH Pulaski
- NRI-MID 84
- ACT-HIGH High
- TYPE-LEAD Fire
- VS-ST-ABOVE +27%
Nearest declaration peer: Pulaski, IL (0 declaration gap)
FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 filing stamps for this county register. Read with this county → · Montana state profile
Yellowstone County among counties with fewer federal records
FEMA declaration records among Yellowstone County and nearest peers by total count
- Los Angeles · largest
Los Angeles · largest
88 declarations
- Franklin (city) · near 14
Franklin (city) · near
14 declarations
- Harris · near 14
Harris · near
14 declarations
- Pulaski · near 14
Pulaski · near
14 declarations
- Yellowstone · this county 14
Yellowstone · this county
14 declarations
- Ujelang · smallest 1
Ujelang · smallest
1 declarations
What this shows Yellowstone County carries 14 FEMA declaration records, ranked 2590 of 3,266 counties in this registry.
Yellowstone County versus quieter counties in this dataset
Yellowstone County among lower-declaration counties nationally
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time · Yellowstone 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
Yellowstone County's FEMA Risk Index score
Which hazard drives modeled loss here?
FEMA's modeled annual dollar loss for Yellowstone County is led by Riverine Flooding (about $29.3M Expected Annual Loss, Historical Loss Ratio Relatively High), while Winter Weather 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 Yellowstone County's hazard record show?
Reading the federal records together
The NFIP claims register shows a middle-volume loss record here: 272 paid claims, totaling $2.3M. PlainHazard uses 50-499 claims for this descriptive band; FEMA does not publish it as a safety or coverage category. The $8.4K average describes payments on recorded claims only, leaving uninsured damage and properties without a claim outside the measure.
The declaration register points in the busier direction. Yellowstone County's 14 federal records stand 27% above the Montana county mean of 11.0. 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 83.6/100 (Relatively Moderate). Expected Annual Loss is rated Relatively Moderate (roughly $60.1M in annualized losses). Social vulnerability reads Relatively Low and community resilience Very High, both critical modifiers of realized harm here. Of the 18 hazards FEMA models, Winter Weather stands out as the sharpest exposure here, rated Very High. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at an average of 18 times per year here, based on 347 historical events on record.
50 /100
Historical Activity Index
High historical activity
Yellowstone County, MT · 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
16/25
14 declarations (1.3x state county average of 11)
Major Disaster Share Moderate
11/25
6 of 14 declarations are major disasters (43%)
Hazard Diversity High
13/20
5 different disaster types declared in Yellowstone County
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Yellowstone 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
43%
Mixed major share
NRI risk score
84
Relatively Moderate
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Yellowstone 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Very High | an average of 18 times per year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | an average of 3.6 times per year |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 306 years |
| Lightning | Relatively High | an average of 32 times per year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | an average of 1 time per year |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | an average of 2 times per year |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | roughly once every 583 years |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 2.2 modeled event-days per year |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | an average of 1.2 times per year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 1 years |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 72 modeled event-days per year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | roughly once every 67 years |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | roughly once every 7 years |
| Avalanche | Very Low | roughly once every 100 years |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Fire 7
Flood 2
Biological 2
Severe Storm 2
Hurricane 1
What Fire declarations mean here
Fire is the most frequent declaration type on Yellowstone County's record, 50% 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 - 6 42.9%
of all 14 declarations
Fire Management - 6 42.9%
of all 14 declarations
Emergency - 2 14.3%
of all 14 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1 | |
| 2021 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 4 | |
| 2011 | 2 | |
| 2007 | 1 | |
| 2006 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 1 | |
| 2000 | 1 | |
| 1997 | 1 | |
| 1978 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4655 | SEVERE STORM AND FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2022-06-16 |
| 5399 | BUFFALO WILDFIRE | FM | Fire | 2021-07-17 |
| 5344 | BOBCAT FIRE | FM | Fire | 2020-09-02 |
| 5324 | FALLING STAR FIRE | FM | Fire | 2020-08-02 |
| 4508 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-03-31 |
| 3476 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 2950 | CANYON CREEK FIRE | FM | Fire | 2011-08-29 |
| 1996 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2011-06-17 |
| 2723 | FORD ROAD FIRE | FM | Fire | 2007-08-19 |
| 2669 | EMERALD HILLS FIRE | FM | Fire | 2006-08-22 |
| 3253 | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM | Hurricane | 2005-09-13 |
| 1340 | WILDFIRES | DR | Fire | 2000-08-30 |
| 1183 | SEVERE STORMS,ICE JAMS, SNOW MELT, FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 1997-07-25 |
| 558 | SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1978-05-29 |
Storm Events in Montana
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Yellowstone County.
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Wind | 3,735 | 1 | 2 | $5.3M |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 2,396 | 5 | 24 | $15.1M |
| Hail | 2,015 | 0 | 0 | $4.1M |
| Winter Storm | 1,502 | 13 | 18 | $11.2M |
| Heavy Snow | 796 | 5 | 3 | $143.0K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015-2025
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
Total Claims
272
Total Paid
$2.3M
Avg Per Claim
$8.4K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Relatively Moderate
Score: 83.6/100
Expected Annual Loss
Relatively Moderate
$60.1M/year
Social Vulnerability
Relatively Low
Community Resilience
Very High
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Winter Weather Very High
Cold Wave Relatively High
Wildfire Relatively Moderate
Lightning Relatively High
Riverine Flooding Relatively Moderate
Hail Relatively Moderate
Earthquake Relatively Low
Heat Wave Relatively Low
Landslide Relatively Low
Strong Wind Relatively Moderate
Drought Relatively Low
Ice Storm Relatively Low
Tornado Relatively Low
Avalanche 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: Winter Weather
Winter Weather in the model means the accumulation of snow and cold that disrupts rather than destroys: road closures, roof loads, burst pipes and lost heating. Its costs land heavily on transport and on households least able to absorb an interruption.
Worth noting for Yellowstone County: the model and the federal record do NOT point at the same hazard. Winter Weather 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
Yellowstone County's closest FEMA peer: La Paz County, AZ
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Yellowstone County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Similar modeled NRI score
Yellowstone County: NRI composite 83.6 (Relatively Moderate).
Similar Major-disaster share
Yellowstone County: 6 of 14 of its declarations are Major.
Closest declaration profiles
Yellowstone 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 Yellowstone County - capture-dated entries only.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by NRI score & FEMA declaration volume
Two PlainHazard-derived comparison paths for Yellowstone 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: 83.6 (Relatively Moderate).
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
Yellowstone County's NFIP claims file (272 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 Yellowstone County?
The most common disaster type in Yellowstone County is Fire, with 7 declarations. Other disaster types include Flood (2), Biological (2), Severe Storm (2).
How does Yellowstone County's FEMA declaration record compare with the Montana average?
FEMA lists 14 declaration records for Yellowstone County. That is 27% above the Montana county mean of 11.0. 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 Yellowstone County received?
Yellowstone County has received 6 major disaster declarations, representing 43% of all 14 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Yellowstone County filed?
Yellowstone County has 272 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $2.3M in payments, with an average of $8.4K per claim.
Does FEMA's top risk-rated hazard match the highest Expected Annual Loss in Yellowstone County?
No. In Yellowstone County, Winter Weather has the highest National Risk Index rating (Very High), while Riverine Flooding leads Expected Annual Loss at about $29.3M. FEMA's risk score and dollar-loss model use different inputs, so the leaders often differ.
What was the worst year for disasters in Yellowstone County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Yellowstone County was 2020, with 4 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1978 to 2022.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Yellowstone County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Yellowstone County, Montana has an overall risk score of 83.6 out of 100 (Relatively Moderate). On social vulnerability the county rates Relatively Low; on community resilience, Very High. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Relatively Moderate, representing $60.1M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Yellowstone County?
FEMA's NRI data points to Yellowstone County as of the latest release is Winter Weather (risk rating: Very High). Other significant hazards include Cold Wave (Relatively High) and Wildfire (Relatively Moderate). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts winter weather here at an average of 18 times per year, drawn from 347 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.
FEMA OpenFEMA declarations + NRI for Yellowstone County · vintage 2026-08-25 · Methodology · Montana profile · Verify with FEMA OpenFEMA · Verify with NOAA Storm Events