Walsh County Disaster Risk

Walsh County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low, placing it in the 29th 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.

Walsh County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: wildfire (79th percentile), tornado (40th percentile), flooding (35th percentile), earthquake (7th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is wildfire at the 79th 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.

Walsh County's composite risk percentile is 29th, compared to the North Dakota state average of 22th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Very Low. This means Walsh County faces higher natural disaster risk than the typical county in North Dakota.

Yes, Walsh County's wildfire risk is at the 79th percentile nationally. This places it in the top quartile for this hazard type. For flooding specifically, Walsh County is at the 35th 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.

Walsh County's composite risk score of 29th percentile is above the North Dakota state average of 22th percentile. This elevated risk is driven by wildfire exposure (79th percentile). Geographic location, terrain, climate patterns, and proximity to flood zones or fault lines all influence a county's risk profile.