Umatilla County Disaster Risk

Umatilla County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Moderate, placing it in the 82th 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.

Umatilla County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: wildfire (96th percentile), earthquake (87th percentile), flooding (81th percentile), tornado (13th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is wildfire 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.

Umatilla County's composite risk percentile is 82th, compared to the Oregon state average of 63th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Relatively Low. This means Umatilla County faces higher natural disaster risk than the typical county in Oregon.

Yes, Umatilla County's wildfire risk is at the 96th percentile nationally. This places it in the top quartile for this hazard type. For flooding specifically, Umatilla County is at the 81th 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.

Umatilla County's composite risk score of 82th percentile is above the Oregon state average of 63th percentile. This elevated risk is driven by wildfire exposure (96th percentile), along with earthquake and flooding risk. Geographic location, terrain, climate patterns, and proximity to flood zones or fault lines all influence a county's risk profile.