Boise County Disaster Risk

Boise County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Low, placing it in the 49th 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.

Boise County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: wildfire (97th percentile), flooding (43th percentile), earthquake (40th percentile), tornado (4th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is wildfire at the 97th 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.

Boise County's composite risk percentile is 49th, compared to the Idaho state average of 39th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Very Low. This means Boise County faces higher natural disaster risk than the typical county in Idaho.

Yes, Boise County's wildfire risk is at the 97th percentile nationally. This places it in the top quartile for this hazard type. For flooding specifically, Boise County is at the 43th 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.

Boise County's composite risk score of 49th percentile is above the Idaho state average of 39th percentile. This elevated risk is driven by wildfire exposure (97th percentile). Geographic location, terrain, climate patterns, and proximity to flood zones or fault lines all influence a county's risk profile.