Bethel Census Area Disaster Risk

Bethel Census Area has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Low, placing it in the 44th percentile nationally out of 3,144 counties. This composite score reflects the county's overall exposure to natural hazards including floods, wildfires, tornadoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes, weighted by expected annual loss and social vulnerability.

Bethel Census Area is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: wildfire (84th percentile), earthquake (49th percentile), flooding (10th percentile), tornado (1th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is wildfire at the 84th percentile nationally. These scores are derived from FEMA's National Risk Index, which analyzes expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience for each hazard type.

Bethel Census Area's composite risk percentile is 44th, compared to the Alaska state average of 35th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Very Low. This means Bethel Census Area faces higher natural disaster risk than the typical county in Alaska.

Yes, Bethel Census Area's wildfire risk is at the 84th percentile nationally. This places it in the top quartile for this hazard type. For flooding specifically, Bethel Census Area is at the 10th percentile.

FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) calculates risk scores for 18 natural hazard types across all U.S. counties and census tracts. The composite score combines Expected Annual Loss (estimated dollar losses from each hazard), Social Vulnerability (demographic factors affecting disaster impact), and Community Resilience (ability to recover). Percentile scores rank each county against all 3,144 U.S. counties, and risk ratings range from Very Low to Very High.

Bethel Census Area's composite risk score of 44th percentile is above the Alaska state average of 35th percentile. This elevated risk is driven by wildfire exposure (84th percentile). Geographic location, terrain, climate patterns, and proximity to flood zones or fault lines all influence a county's risk profile.