FEMA Records
7
Low volume
Colorado · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Yuma County, CO
7 FEMA disaster declarations (1965-2020), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low. Most common hazard: Biological.
- 7
- FEMA declarations
- 5
- Major disasters
- 37
- NRI risk · Very Low
- Biological
- Top hazard
The verdict
Start with the local benchmark for Yuma County: 7 FEMA declaration records are 31% below the Colorado county mean, even though the count is higher than 4% of counties in the national registry. On FEMA's distinct National Risk Index model, which combines expected loss with vulnerability and resilience, the county ranks safer than 37%.
- Safer than 37%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Very Low
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 7
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 5
- NFIP flood insurance claims filed
FEMA's National Risk Index and its declaration registry are separate measures. This county's registry includes Major Disaster (DR) and Emergency (EM) records; an EM authorizes a narrower set of federal assistance than a DR.
FEMA OpenFEMA declaration desk
County FIPS 08125 · Yuma County 7 declarations · rank 3131/3,266
DECL-LIGHT · MAJOR-MID · RANK-LOWER · PHOTO-FINISH · NRI-LOW · ACT-MODERATE · TYPE-LEAD · VS-ST-BELOW
- DECL-LIGHT 7
- MAJOR-MID 71%
- RANK-LOWER #3,131
- PHOTO-FINISH Clinton
- NRI-LOW Very Low
- ACT-MODERATE Moderate
- TYPE-LEAD Biological
- VS-ST-BELOW -31%
Nearest declaration peer: Clinton, IL (0 declaration gap)
FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 filing stamps for this county register. Read with this county → · Colorado state profile
Yuma County among counties with fewer federal records
FEMA declaration records among Yuma County and nearest peers by total count
- Los Angeles · largest
Los Angeles · largest
88 declarations
- Clinton · near 7
Clinton · near
7 declarations
- Lea · near 7
Lea · near
7 declarations
- Marinette · near 7
Marinette · near
7 declarations
- Yuma · this county 7
Yuma · this county
7 declarations
- Ujelang · smallest 1
Ujelang · smallest
1 declarations
What this shows Yuma County carries 7 FEMA declaration records, ranked 3131 of 3,266 counties in this registry.
Yuma County versus quieter counties in this dataset
Yuma County among lower-declaration counties nationally
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time · Yuma County
7 4th percentile higher than 4% 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
Yuma County's FEMA Risk Index score
Which hazard drives modeled loss here?
FEMA's modeled annual dollar loss for Yuma County is led by Cold Wave (about $6.8M Expected Annual Loss, Historical Loss Ratio Very High), while Hail 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 Yuma County's hazard record show?
FEMA National Risk Index
FEMA's data shows an elevated National Risk Index composite of 36.8/100 for this county (Very Low rating). Expected Annual Loss comes in at Relatively Low (roughly $15.5M in annualized losses). Social vulnerability (Very Low) and community resilience (Very Low) both factor into how that raw exposure plays out on the ground. Among the 18 modeled hazards, Hail carries the county's highest rating, a mid-range Relatively Moderate. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at an average of 7.5 times per year here, based on 285 historical events on record.
Reading the federal records together
This county has a small entry in FEMA's NFIP paid-claims table: 5 claims and $139.8K 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 Colorado county averages 10.2 federal declaration records, while Yuma County has 7. The gap is 31% 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.
47 /100
Historical Activity Index
Moderate historical activity
Yuma County, CO · 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) Low
5/30
7 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (0.3x national county average)
County Disaster Density Moderate
9/25
7 declarations (0.7x state county average of 10)
Major Disaster Share High
18/25
5 of 7 declarations are major disasters (71%)
Hazard Diversity Very High
15/20
6 different disaster types declared in Yuma County
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Yuma 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
71%
Major-heavy
NRI risk score
37
Very Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Yuma 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | an average of 7.5 times per year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | an average of 6.6 times per year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | an average of 3 times per year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | an average of 15 times per year |
| Wildfire | Very Low | roughly once every 1,586 years |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 57 modeled event-days per year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | an average of 2.4 times per year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | roughly once every 8 years |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | an average of 45 times per year |
| Landslide | Very Low | roughly once every 2 years |
| Earthquake | Very Low | roughly once every 3,484 years |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | an average of 1.2 times per year |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 0.2 modeled event-days per year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Biological 2
Flood 1
Coastal Storm 1
Fire 1
Severe Storm 1
Tornado 1
What Biological declarations mean here
Biological is the most frequent declaration type on Yuma County's record, 29% of its declarations. In practice this category is dominated by the COVID-19 declarations of 2020, which were issued across every US state and territory rather than in response to any local hazard event.
This has a direct consequence for how Yuma County's number should be read. Because those declarations reached essentially every county in the country, they raise every county's total by a similar amount and tell you nothing about local hazard exposure. A county whose record is led by Biological declarations is, in most cases, a county with a genuinely quiet weather-hazard history, the pandemic records are simply the largest thing in an otherwise short list.
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 71.4%
of all 7 declarations
Emergency - 2 28.6%
of all 7 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2 | |
| 2015 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 1 | |
| 2002 | 1 | |
| 2001 | 1 | |
| 1965 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 7 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 7 declarations as CSV . FEMA source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4498 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-03-28 |
| 3436 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 4229 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES | DR | Flood | 2015-07-16 |
| 3224 | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM | Coastal Storm | 2005-09-05 |
| 1421 | WILDFIRES | DR | Fire | 2002-06-19 |
| 1374 | SEVERE WINTER STORMS | DR | Severe Storm | 2001-05-17 |
| 200 | TORNADOES, SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING | DR | Tornado | 1965-06-19 |
Storm Events in Colorado
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Yuma County.
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 4,913 | 0 | 100 | $2.9B |
| Winter Weather | 2,620 | 3 | 23 | $22.5K |
| High Wind | 1,992 | 5 | 6 | $20.9M |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 1,741 | 2 | 11 | $5.4M |
| Winter Storm | 1,497 | 0 | 0 | $848.0K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015-2025
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
Total Claims
5
Total Paid
$139.8K
Avg Per Claim
$28.0K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Very Low
Score: 36.8/100
Expected Annual Loss
Relatively Low
$15.5M/year
Social Vulnerability
Very Low
Community Resilience
Very Low
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Hail Relatively Moderate
Cold Wave Relatively Moderate
Strong Wind Relatively Moderate
Winter Weather Relatively Moderate
Wildfire Very Low
Drought Relatively Low
Tornado Relatively Low
Ice Storm Relatively Low
Lightning Relatively Low
Landslide Very Low
Earthquake Very Low
Riverine Flooding Very Low
Heat Wave 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: Hail
Hail is among the most expensive hazards in the model relative to how little it threatens life. It concentrates on roofs, vehicles and crops, and a single severe storm can generate an insurance loss across a metropolitan area without a single injury.
Worth noting for Yuma County: the model and the federal record do NOT point at the same hazard. Hail carries the highest modeled rating (Relatively Moderate), while the county's declaration history is led by Biological. 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
Yuma County's closest FEMA peer: Cascade County, MT
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Yuma County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Closest declaration profiles
Yuma County shows 7 FEMA declarations, led by Biological.
Similar Major-disaster share
Yuma County: 5 of 7 of its declarations are Major.
Similar modeled NRI score
Yuma County: NRI composite 36.8 (Very 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 Yuma County - capture-dated entries only.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by NRI score & FEMA declaration volume
Two PlainHazard-derived comparison paths for Yuma 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: 36.8 (Very Low).
Similar declaration volume
Nearest out-of-state counties by FEMA declaration count. This county: 7. NRI peers are excluded so the two link sets stay distinct.
Further reading for this county
Understanding disaster data
FEMA's National Risk Index flags Hail as the top modeled exposure here (Relatively Moderate); the guide explains how that model differs from declaration counts.
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 Yuma County?
The most common disaster type in Yuma County is Biological, with 2 declarations. Other disaster types include Flood (1), Coastal Storm (1), Fire (1).
How does Yuma County's FEMA declaration record compare with the Colorado average?
The typical Colorado county has 10.2 FEMA declaration records; Yuma County has 7, or 31% fewer. Against the national county mean of 20.7, this county's total is 66% lower. The comparison is historical and says nothing about the probability of a future event.
How many major FEMA disaster declarations has Yuma County received?
Yuma County has received 5 major disaster declarations, representing 71% of all 7 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Yuma County filed?
Yuma County has 5 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $139.8K in payments, with an average of $28.0K per claim.
Does FEMA's top risk-rated hazard match the highest Expected Annual Loss in Yuma County?
No. In Yuma County, Hail has the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively Moderate), while Cold Wave leads Expected Annual Loss at about $6.8M. FEMA's risk score and dollar-loss model use different inputs, so the leaders often differ.
What was the worst year for disasters in Yuma County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Yuma County was 2020, with 2 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1965 to 2020.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Yuma County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Yuma County, Colorado has an overall risk score of 36.8 out of 100 (Very Low). The county's social vulnerability rating is Very Low and community resilience is Very Low. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Relatively Low, representing $15.5M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Yuma County?
FEMA's NRI data points to Yuma County is Hail (risk rating: Relatively Moderate). Other significant hazards include Cold Wave (Relatively Moderate) and Strong Wind (Relatively Moderate). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts hail here at an average of 7.5 times per year, drawn from 285 historical events on record. 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 Yuma County · vintage 2026-08-25 · Methodology · Colorado profile · Verify with FEMA OpenFEMA · Verify with NOAA Storm Events