Federal disaster declarations have become much more common over the past 70 years. In the 1960s, the US declared 179 major disasters for natural events. In the 2010s it declared 601. The 2020s are on a similar pace, with 423 in the first seven years, and 2024 set a record with 100.
Those numbers come from FEMA’s public list of every declaration since 1953. Here is what they show, and where they need care.
How many major disasters are declared each decade?
Counting major disaster declarations for natural events (storms, floods, fires, earthquakes and similar), and leaving out events like the COVID-19 pandemic:
| Decade | Major disaster declarations |
|---|---|
| 1950s (from 1953) | 89 |
| 1960s | 179 |
| 1970s | 326 |
| 1980s | 236 |
| 1990s | 455 |
| 2000s | 559 |
| 2010s | 601 |
| 2020s (to Nov 6, 2026) | 423 |
Which recent years had the most?
| Year | Major disasters |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 61 |
| 2021 | 55 |
| 2023 | 71 |
| 2024 | 100 |
| 2025 | 45 |
| 2026 (to Nov 6) | 58 |
2024 stands out. Hurricanes Helene and Milton, spring tornado outbreaks and widespread flooding all hit in the same year.
Does more declarations mean more disasters?
Partly. Three things push the count up:
- More people and more buildings in risky places. Coastal counties and the edges of fire-prone areas have grown fast. The same storm now damages more property, so it is more likely to pass the damage threshold for a declaration.
- Changes in how declarations work. Rules, thresholds and politics have shifted over the decades. The dip in the 1980s may partly reflect stricter federal approval at the time.
- Changes in the weather itself. Heavy downpours, hotter heat waves and longer fire seasons have become more frequent in many regions, according to federal climate assessments.
So the count is a useful signal of how often communities need federal help, but not a pure measure of the weather.
Which states have the most?
Since 1953, the states with the most major disaster declarations for natural events are California (113), Texas (106), Oklahoma (98), Florida (84), New York (83) and Kentucky (80).
At the county level, Los Angeles County has been included in more federal declarations for natural events than any other county: 86 in total, including emergency and fire declarations. Riverside and San Bernardino counties in California come next.
What does this mean for my county?
Every county page on this site lists each declaration that included that county, with the date and the type of event. It also shows a count by decade, so you can see whether your county is seeing more declarations than it used to.
A rising count is a reason to look harder at insurance and preparation, especially for flooding, which is the costliest hazard in most US counties.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between a major disaster and an emergency declaration? A major disaster declaration opens the full range of federal help, including money to rebuild public buildings and, often, grants to households. An emergency declaration is narrower and usually covers short-term help, such as evacuation and debris removal.
What is a fire management declaration? It lets the federal government share the cost of fighting a large wildfire that threatens homes. These are common in western states.
Do statewide declarations count for every county? On our county pages, we only count declarations that name the county. Statewide declarations are shown separately.
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, counted by disaster number, natural events only, as of Nov 6, 2026.