Tooele County, Utah
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Tooele County, Utah has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 51% of US counties. It ranks 10th of 29 counties in Utah. The costliest hazards here are wildfires, earthquakes and inland flooding. FEMA estimates about $26 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $365 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (4 major disasters). The most recent was in June 2026 (Cherry Fire). Only 46 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 Tooele County
- Clear dry plants and debris within 5 feet of the house.
- Get home insurance quotes early; availability varies by area.
- Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
- Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | 97.3 | $14M | ||
| Earthquake | 83.6 | $4M | ||
| Inland flooding | 18.3 | $4M | ||
| Strong wind | 66.5 | $1M | ||
| Lightning | 79.1 | $1M | ||
| Winter weather | 95.1 | $1M | ||
| Heat wave | 53.9 | $762K | ||
| Tornado | 13.6 | $197K | ||
| Drought | 34.6 | $65K | ||
| Hail | 11.5 | $62K | ||
| Ice storm | 14.7 | $16K | ||
| Cold wave | 3.5 | $4K | ||
| Avalanche | 55.7 | $2K | ||
| Landslide | 33.7 | $699 | ||
| Volcanic activity | 14.3 | $0 |
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 very low and community resilience is very high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Tooele County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Utah also had 7 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1961
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 843 storm reports in Tooele County since 1961, with 3 deaths and 8 injuries and about $3.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F1 tornado on May 3, 1993 near Erda.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 3, 1993 | F1 | Erda | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 25, 1991 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 25, 1965 | n/a | – | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 9, 1965 | n/a | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 22, 1968 | n/a | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2021 | Flash Flood | Tooele | $1M |
| May 3, 1993 | Tornado | Erda | $500K |
| May 31, 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Tooele | $500K |
| Oct 4, 2025 | Flood | Warner | $500K |
| Jun 12, 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $225K |
| Aug 22, 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $100K |
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 Tooele County
Check your address flood zone ›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 Tooele County
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; 24,965 housing units.
Compare in Utah
All 29 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake County | Earthquake | |
| Utah County | Earthquake | |
| Davis County | Earthquake | |
| Weber County | Earthquake | |
| Washington County | Wildfire | |
| Cache County | Earthquake | |
| Tooele County | Wildfire | |
| Box Elder County | Earthquake |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake County | 10 | |
| Utah County | 11 | |
| Davis County | 9 | |
| Weber County | 9 | |
| Box Elder County | 7 | |
| Elko County, NV | 17 | |
| Juab County | 7 | |
| White Pine County, NV | 5 |
Cities in Tooele County
Common questions about Tooele County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Tooele County?
Wildfire has the highest expected yearly losses in Tooele County, about $13.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Earthquake is second at $4 million.
How many federal disasters has Tooele County had?
Tooele County has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 4 major disasters. The most recent was Cherry Fire in June 2026.
Is Tooele County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 10th 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 Tooele County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Tooele 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 Tooele County had?
NOAA records list 5 tornadoes in Tooele County since 1950. The strongest was an F1 tornado on May 3, 1993 near Erda. The weather service has also logged 31 hail reports and 24 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.