Saguache County Disaster Risk

Saguache County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low, placing it in the 14th 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.

Saguache County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: wildfire (64th percentile), earthquake (37th percentile), flooding (17th percentile), tornado (8th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is wildfire at the 64th 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.

Saguache County's composite risk percentile is 14th, compared to the Colorado state average of 41th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Very Low. This means Saguache County faces lower natural disaster risk than the typical county in Colorado.

Yes, Saguache County's wildfire risk is at the 64th percentile nationally. This is above the national median. For flooding specifically, Saguache County is at the 17th 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.

Saguache County's composite risk score of 14th percentile is below the Colorado state average of 41th percentile, indicating relatively lower exposure to natural hazards. However, no county is completely risk-free. The primary hazard type is wildfire at the 64th percentile. Residents should still maintain emergency preparedness plans and appropriate insurance coverage.