State profile · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Natural disaster risk in Alaska
Alaska faces a low level of natural disaster risk, with 27 FEMA disaster declarations on record. The dominant threat is fire, and severe weather has caused $168.8M in combined property and crop damage. NOAA storm event data shows 2,930 recorded weather events resulting in 34 fatalities, figures the state uses to prioritize disaster-preparedness planning.
- 27
- FEMA declarations
- 2,930
- NOAA storm events
- 34
- Storm fatalities
- $168.8M
- Property + crop damage
How disaster-prone is Alaska?
Alaska (AK) sits at a low level of federally recognized natural-disaster risk, with 27 FEMA disaster declarations on record, including 17 Major Disaster declarations (DR) that triggered full federal individual and public assistance. The dominant declaration type is Fire, followed by Severe Storm (7), Mud/Landslide (5), Flood (4). Declaration counts at the state level reflect the cumulative federal footprint: large multi-county events count once per state, but repeat hazard patterns across decades are visible in the breakdown below.
NOAA's Storm Events Database adds the near-term severe-weather lens. Between 2015 and 2025, Alaska recorded 2,930 individual storm events, causing 34 fatalities and 24 injuries, with combined property and crop damage estimated at $168.8M. The most frequent event types in the state are High Wind (787 events), Blizzard (579 events), Heavy Snow (474 events). Across the state's 28 analyzed counties, FEMA's own National Risk Index flags 1 as high-risk, with an average county Risk Index score (FEMA's own formula, distinct from our Risk Score tool below) of 35.6/100.
NFIP claims data is limited or absent for this state in the current extract, which usually indicates low flood-policy penetration rather than zero flood risk. The highest-Expected-Annual-Loss hazard across the state is Earthquake, estimated at $0.7B annually. Drill into individual counties for localized risk, read FEMA's hazard-specific briefings, and review insurance and flood-zone designations, state-level averages can mask sharp county-to-county differences in exposure and resilience.
Disaster Types in Alaska
Storm Events by Type
NOAA storm event data for Alaska (2015-2025).
| Event Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Wind | 787 | 0 | 1 | $8.9M |
| Blizzard | 579 | 0 | 0 | $60.0K |
| Heavy Snow | 474 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Winter Storm | 409 | 0 | 0 | $200.0K |
| Flood | 199 | 0 | 0 | $101.0M |
| Winter Weather | 177 | 3 | 4 | $800 |
| Coastal Flood | 70 | 2 | 2 | $4.3M |
| Wildfire | 31 | 0 | 10 | $2.1M |
| Ice Storm | 28 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Cold/Wind Chill | 25 | 2 | 0 | $0 |
| Avalanche | 24 | 10 | 0 | $0 |
| Frost/Freeze | 23 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Extreme Cold/Wind Chill | 22 | 1 | 0 | $0 |
| Debris Flow | 18 | 12 | 4 | $35.0M |
| High Surf | 11 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 9 | 0 | 0 | $36.4K |
| Strong Wind | 9 | 0 | 2 | $1.4M |
| Hail | 8 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Tsunami | 4 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Heavy Rain | 4 | 1 | 0 | $0 |
Storm Events by Year
| Year | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 494 | 2 | 2 | $43.3M |
| 2024 | 319 | 2 | 4 | $10.8M |
| 2023 | 385 | 6 | 2 | $9.2M |
| 2022 | 332 | 1 | 2 | $18.3M |
| 2021 | 283 | 0 | 1 | $5.9M |
| 2020 | 252 | 5 | 0 | $35.8M |
| 2019 | 143 | 0 | 0 | $8.5M |
| 2018 | 121 | 0 | 0 | $3.6M |
| 2017 | 231 | 2 | 0 | $6.5M |
| 2016 | 150 | 5 | 5 | $203.0K |
| 2015 | 220 | 11 | 8 | $26.7M |
FEMA Disaster Declarations
27 unique disaster declarations in Alaska.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4893 | SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, AND REMNANTS OF TYPHOON HALONG | DR | Flood | 2025-10-22 |
| 5597 | NENANA RIDGE COMPLEX | FM | Fire | 2025-07-06 |
| 5596 | HIMALAYA ROAD FIRE | FM | Fire | 2025-06-23 |
| 5595 | BEAR CREEK FIRE | FM | Fire | 2025-06-23 |
| 4859 | SEVERE STORM AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2025-01-15 |
| 4857 | SEVERE STORM AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2025-01-10 |
| 4853 | SEVERE STORM AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2025-01-01 |
| 4846 | LANDSLIDES | DR | Mud/Landslide | 2024-11-13 |
| 4836 | FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2024-10-16 |
| 4767 | SEVERE STORM, FLOODING, AND LANDSLIDES | DR | Mud/Landslide | 2024-04-06 |
| 4763 | SEVERE STORM, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES | DR | Mud/Landslide | 2024-03-15 |
| 4730 | FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2023-08-23 |
| 5473 | LOST HORSE CREEK FIRE | FM | Fire | 2023-08-03 |
| 4672 | SEVERE STORM, FLOODING, AND LANDSLIDES | DR | Severe Storm | 2022-09-23 |
| 4667 | FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2022-08-26 |
| 4661 | LANDSLIDE | DR | Mud/Landslide | 2022-07-26 |
| 5442 | CLEAR FIRE | FM | Fire | 2022-06-26 |
| 4648 | SEVERE WINTER STORM AND STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS | DR | Severe Storm | 2022-03-24 |
| 4646 | SEVERE WINTER STORM AND STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS | DR | Severe Storm | 2022-03-14 |
| 4638 | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES | DR | Severe Storm | 2022-01-15 |
| 4585 | SEVERE STORM, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES | DR | Mud/Landslide | 2021-02-17 |
| 4533 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-04-09 |
| 5290 | DESHKA LANDING FIRE | FM | Fire | 2019-08-22 |
| 5287 | MCKINLEY FIRE | FM | Fire | 2019-08-20 |
| 5282 | SHOVEL CREEK FIRE | FM | Fire | 2019-06-28 |
| 5085 | CARD STREET FIRE | FM | Fire | 2015-06-16 |
| 5084 | SOCKEYE FIRE | FM | Fire | 2015-06-15 |
FEMA National Risk Index
Composite natural hazard risk scores for Alaska counties based on FEMA's National Risk Index.
Avg County Risk Score
35.6/100
High Risk Counties
1
of 28 counties
Top Hazard by EAL
Earthquake
$0.7B annual loss est.
Top 5 Hazards by Expected Annual Loss
#1
Earthquake
$660.4M EAL
#2
Cold Wave
$78.3M EAL
#3
Avalanche
$50.0M EAL
#4
Tsunami
$49.8M EAL
#5
Wildfire
$31.5M EAL
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) EAL = Expected Annual Loss. Data: hazards.fema.gov/nri
Counties in Alaska
32 counties with FEMA disaster data.
Disaster Preparedness Guides
Learn more about natural disaster risk, preparedness, and data interpretation.
Preparing for Natural Disasters
Essential steps to prepare your household for the most common natural hazards.
Hazard Risk by Region
How natural disaster risk varies across different US regions.
Climate Change & Disasters
How climate trends are changing the frequency and severity of natural disasters.
Frequently Asked Questions
What natural disasters affect Alaska?
How many FEMA disaster declarations has Alaska had?
What severe weather events are most common in Alaska?
What is the disaster risk level for Alaska?
Which counties in Alaska have the most disaster declarations?
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations, NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025) FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations, NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025) For informational purposes only
What this means for Alaska
Alaska carries a low federal disaster profile - 27 FEMA declarations and 2,930 recorded storm events, led by fire.
- Risk is uneven within the state - Yupiit Regional Educational Attendance Area and Yukon Koyukuk Regional Educational Attendance Area carry the most declarations. Check the county where you live. Browse counties
- See how Alaska ranks against other states for disaster frequency and damage. State rankings
- Learn what FEMA declarations, NRI risk scores, and damage figures do and don't tell you. Disaster-data guide
Historical declaration counts and damage totals describe past federal response, not a forecast. For current threats, follow the National Weather Service and local officials; in an emergency call 911.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
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 report a data error.