Ontonagon County Disaster Risk

Ontonagon County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low, placing it in the 4th 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.

Ontonagon County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: wildfire (32th percentile), flooding (15th percentile), tornado (7th percentile), earthquake (0th percentile), hurricane (0th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is wildfire at the 32th 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.

Ontonagon County's composite risk percentile is 4th, compared to the Michigan state average of 50th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Relatively Low. This means Ontonagon County faces lower natural disaster risk than the typical county in Michigan.

Yes, Ontonagon County's wildfire risk is at the 32th percentile nationally. This is below the national median, indicating relatively lower exposure. For flooding specifically, Ontonagon County is at the 15th 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.

Ontonagon County's composite risk score of 4th percentile is below the Michigan state average of 50th percentile, indicating relatively lower exposure to natural hazards. However, no county is completely risk-free. The primary hazard type is wildfire at the 32th percentile. Residents should still maintain emergency preparedness plans and appropriate insurance coverage.