Flathead County Disaster Risk

Flathead County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Moderate, placing it in the 86th 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.

Flathead County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: earthquake (96th percentile), wildfire (95th percentile), flooding (80th percentile), tornado (5th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is earthquake at the 96th 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.

Flathead County's composite risk percentile is 86th, compared to the Montana state average of 33th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Very Low. This means Flathead County faces higher natural disaster risk than the typical county in Montana.

Yes, Flathead County's earthquake risk is at the 96th percentile nationally. This places it in the top quartile for this hazard type. For flooding specifically, Flathead County is at the 80th 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.

Flathead County's composite risk score of 86th percentile is above the Montana state average of 33th percentile. This elevated risk is driven by earthquake exposure (96th percentile), along with wildfire and flooding risk. Geographic location, terrain, climate patterns, and proximity to flood zones or fault lines all influence a county's risk profile.