Burke County, Georgia: hazard risk
FEMA rates Burke County's overall risk Very Low (score 37.3 of 100, higher than 37% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 384 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 80.6 | $764K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 66.0 | $141K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 81.1 | $1.8M |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 75.9 | $965K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 65.3 | $587K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 58.6 | $1.3M |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 42.5 | $155K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 34.6 | $274K |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 31.9 | $92K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 24.9 | $253K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 59.7 | $65K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 32.5 | $299 |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | 31.3 | $2.9M |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 16.8 | $11K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 227 | 0 | $1.4M | 141st of 159 | 1588th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 72 | 0 | $132K | 126th of 159 | 2312th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 25 | 0 | $154K | 140th of 159 | 2494th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 23 | 0 | $26M | 136th of 159 | 2006th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 14 | 0 | – | 121st of 159 | 2780th of 3,077 |
| High wind and dust storms | 9 | 0 | $58K | 105th of 159 | 2445th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 7 | 0 | – | 114th of 159 | 1364th of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 4 | 1 | $17M | 158th of 159 | 717th of 1,849 |
| Lightning | 2 | 0 | $54K | 142nd of 159 | 1769th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | – | 139th of 159 | 2293rd of 3,076 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Burke County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.