Latah County Disaster Risk

Latah County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low, placing it in the 33th 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.

Latah County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: wildfire (92th percentile), flooding (50th percentile), earthquake (44th percentile), tornado (9th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is wildfire at the 92th 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.

Latah County's composite risk percentile is 33th, compared to the Idaho state average of 39th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Very Low. This means Latah County faces lower natural disaster risk than the typical county in Idaho.

Yes, Latah County's wildfire risk is at the 92th percentile nationally. This places it in the top quartile for this hazard type. For flooding specifically, Latah County is at the 50th 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.

Latah County's composite risk score of 33th percentile is below the Idaho state average of 39th percentile, indicating relatively lower exposure to natural hazards. However, no county is completely risk-free. The primary hazard type is wildfire at the 92th percentile. Residents should still maintain emergency preparedness plans and appropriate insurance coverage.