Lemhi County Disaster Risk

Lemhi County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low, placing it in the 41th 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.

Lemhi County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: wildfire (93th percentile), flooding (60th percentile), earthquake (53th percentile), tornado (3th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is wildfire at the 93th 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.

Lemhi County's composite risk percentile is 41th, compared to the Idaho state average of 39th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Very Low. This means Lemhi County faces higher natural disaster risk than the typical county in Idaho.

Yes, Lemhi County's wildfire risk is at the 93th percentile nationally. This places it in the top quartile for this hazard type. For flooding specifically, Lemhi County is at the 60th 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.

Lemhi County's composite risk score of 41th percentile is above the Idaho state average of 39th percentile. This elevated risk is driven by wildfire exposure (93th percentile), along with flooding and earthquake risk. Geographic location, terrain, climate patterns, and proximity to flood zones or fault lines all influence a county's risk profile.