Curry County, Oregon Natural Disaster Risk
FEMA National Risk Index assessment · OR
MediumComposite Risk Score
National percentile: 87th
Curry County faces medium composite natural disaster risk (NRI Risk Index score 86.5, 87th national percentile), driven primarily by earthquake and wildfire exposure. Expected annual loss across all 18 hazard types is $44M.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 · Updated December 2025
Risk Overview
Overall natural disaster risk in Curry County is medium, with a National Risk Index score of 86.5 out of 100 — placing it in the 87th national percentile and near the national midpoint for natural-disaster risk. The score blends Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across all 18 FEMA hazard types.
Risk here concentrates in earthquake (ground shaking from sudden movement along geologic faults) at Medium risk — $18M in expected annual loss and about 0.02 events per year; wildfire (uncontrolled fires that spread across wildland and into communities) at Medium risk — $2M in expected annual loss and about 0.00 events per year; and landslide (downhill movement of rock, soil, and debris on unstable slopes) at Medium risk — $54K in expected annual loss and about 3.40 events per year. Across all hazards, FEMA estimates $44M in expected annual loss for a population of 23K.
Beyond physical exposure, Curry County has a very high social vulnerability rating (how susceptible the population is to harm) and a low community resilience rating (its capacity to prepare for and recover from disasters). That combination — a more vulnerable population with limited resilience — can amplify the human cost of any given event.
The county's disaster history tells the same story: Curry County has received 17 federal disaster declarations since 1964, including 6 for severe storm events and 4 for flood events. The most recent was Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides (severe storm), declared in July 2025.
Among 36 Oregon counties, Curry County ranks #13 for overall natural disaster risk.
Top Hazards
All 18 Hazard Risks
| Earthquake | Medium | 0.02 / yr | $18M |
| Wildfire | Medium | 0.00 / yr | $2M |
| Landslide | Medium | 3.40 / yr | $54K |
| Tsunami | High | 0.15 / yr | $17M |
| Riverine Flood | Low | 1.46 / yr | $7M |
| Coastal Flood | Low | 3.63 / yr | $52K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $256 |
| Heat Wave | Low | 5.53 / yr | $171K |
| Drought | Very Low | 20.06 / yr | $211 |
| Lightning | Very Low | 6.15 / yr | $31K |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 14.28 / yr | $4K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 0.03 / yr | $25K |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $2K |
| Tornado | Very Low | 0.02 / yr | $5K |
| Hail | Very Low | 0.04 / yr | $4K |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
Disaster History
Curry County has received 17 federal disaster declarations since 1964, most recently Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides in July 2025. Most frequent causes: Severe Storm (6), Flood (4), Biological (2).
| Declared | Type | Disaster |
|---|---|---|
| July 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| March 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| July 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| May 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| August 2017 | Fire | Chetco Bar Fire |
| February 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| March 2012 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| March 2011 | Tsunami | Tsunami Wave Surge |
| December 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
Showing the 10 most recent of 17 declarations.
Source: FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (OpenFEMA).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the overall natural disaster risk for Curry County?
Curry County has a composite FEMA National Risk Index score of 86.5 out of 100, placing it in the Medium category and the 87th national percentile. This combines Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across 18 hazard types.
What are the top natural hazards in Curry County?
The three highest-rated hazards are Earthquake (Medium, $18M EAL), Wildfire (Medium, $2M EAL), Landslide (Medium, $54K EAL). These account for most of the county's expected annual losses.
How does Curry County compare to other Oregon counties?
Curry County ranks #13 of 36 Oregon counties for overall natural disaster risk, with a medium rating.
How many federally declared disasters has Curry County had?
FEMA records 17 federal disaster declarations for Curry County since 1964, most often 6 for severe storm events and 4 for flood events. The most recent was Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides, declared in July 2025.
What does Expected Annual Loss (EAL) mean?
EAL is FEMA's estimate of average annual dollar losses from natural hazards, calculated from historical event data and exposure models. Curry County's $44M EAL is a statistical average, not a guarantee for any specific year or address.