Fairbanks North Star Borough Disaster Risk

Fairbanks North Star Borough has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Moderate, placing it in the 89th 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.

Fairbanks North Star Borough is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: wildfire (98th percentile), earthquake (98th percentile), flooding (46th percentile), tornado (1th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is wildfire at the 98th 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.

Fairbanks North Star Borough's composite risk percentile is 89th, compared to the Alaska state average of 35th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Very Low. This means Fairbanks North Star Borough faces higher natural disaster risk than the typical county in Alaska.

Yes, Fairbanks North Star Borough's wildfire risk is at the 98th percentile nationally. This places it in the top quartile for this hazard type. For flooding specifically, Fairbanks North Star Borough is at the 46th 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.

Fairbanks North Star Borough's composite risk score of 89th percentile is above the Alaska state average of 35th percentile. This elevated risk is driven by wildfire exposure (98th percentile), along with earthquake risk. Geographic location, terrain, climate patterns, and proximity to flood zones or fault lines all influence a county's risk profile.