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Garfield County, Utah

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Very Low overall risk
13th of 29highest risk in Utah
$10Mexpected losses a year
5federal declarations
1 in 200homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Garfield County, Utah has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 62% of US counties. It ranks 13th of 29 counties in Utah. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, heat waves and lightning. FEMA estimates about $10 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $2,041 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (2 major disasters). The most recent was in June 2021 (Mammoth Fire). Only 29 homes here carry federal flood insurance.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Garfield County

$5.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 4 times a year.
  • Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
  • Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.

Heat wave

Moderate
$1.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • Check that cooling works before summer.
  • Know where the nearest cooling center is.
$1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 45 times a year.
  • Go indoors when you hear thunder.
  • Use surge protectors for electronics.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow48.8
$6M
Heat waveModerate82.5
$2M
LightningHigh89.8
$1M
AvalancheModerate85.7
$913K
EarthquakeLow64.1
$510K
WildfireLow78.3
$300K
Winter weatherHigh86.7
$275K
LandslideModerate96.2
$165K
DroughtLow35.6
$38K
Strong windVery Low4.8
$30K
TornadoVery Low2.4
$4K
Ice stormVery Low8.4
$4K
Cold waveVery Low3.6
$3K
HailVery Low1.2
$1K
Volcanic activityVery Low75.9
$188

Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively moderate and community resilience is relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Garfield County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood2
Drought1
Coastal Storm1
Fire1

Most recent

Jun 5, 2021Mammoth FireFire management
Feb 11, 2011Severe Winter Storm and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Apr 30, 1983Severe Storms, Landslides & FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 20, 1977DroughtEmergency

Utah also had 7 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1972

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 191 storm reports in Garfield County since 1972, with 5 deaths and 5 injuries and about $1.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF1 tornado on September 22, 2016 near Panguitch.

4tornadoes
17hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
21damaging thunderstorm winds
143floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Sep 22, 2016EF1Panguitch0 / 0
Sep 8, 2000F0Panguitch0 / 0
Aug 26, 2016EF0Panguitch0 / 0
Jul 10, 2017EFUNatch0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Aug 23, 2003Flash FloodTropic$650K
Sep 10, 2013FloodBryce Canyon Ar$300K
Sep 22, 2016TornadoPanguitch$300K
Aug 26, 1996Flash FloodEscalante Area$100K
Jul 20, 2010Flash FloodTropic$50K
Jun 17, 2011FloodHillsdale$50K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 29, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.

Flood insurance in Garfield County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.5%of homes have federal flood insurance (29 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$14,679paid on 2 flood claims since 1978
2026costliest year, with $7,500 paid

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.

Homes in Garfield County

$318,100median home value (Utah $489,400, US $332,700)
1982median year homes were built (Utah 1992, US 1980)
47%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
8%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 3,620 housing units.

Compare in Utah

All 29 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Salt Lake CountyHighEarthquake
Utah CountyHighEarthquake
Davis CountyModerateEarthquake
Weber CountyModerateEarthquake
Washington CountyModerateWildfire
Cache CountyLowEarthquake
Tooele CountyLowWildfire
Box Elder CountyLowEarthquake

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Iron CountyLow5
San Juan CountyVery Low4
Kane CountyVery Low6
Beaver CountyVery Low7
Wayne CountyVery Low2
Piute CountyVery Low7

Common questions about Garfield County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Garfield County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Garfield County, about $5.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Heat wave is second at $1.5 million.

How many federal disasters has Garfield County had?

Garfield County has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 2 major disasters. The most recent was Mammoth Fire in June 2021.

Is Garfield County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 13th highest of 29 in Utah. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.

Do I need flood insurance in Garfield County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 200 homes in Garfield County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Garfield County had?

NOAA records list 4 tornadoes in Garfield County since 1950. The strongest was an EF1 tornado on September 22, 2016 near Panguitch. The weather service has also logged 17 hail reports and 143 floods here.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.