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Natural hazard risk in Tooele County, Utah

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on FEMA, NOAA and OpenFEMA data. Published by Humblebee.

FEMA overall Risk Index rating: Relatively Low (score 48.8 of 100)[5]

Expected annual loss (FEMA)
$26.5 million[1]
Federal disaster declarations since 1977
9[2]
NFIP flood claims paid, 1978 to 2026
$62,000[3]
Tornadoes recorded, 1950 to 2024
5[4]

FEMA's National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025) gives Tooele County an overall natural hazard rating of Relatively Low compared with other US counties[5]. The hazards with the highest FEMA scores within the county are wildfire, winter weather and earthquake[6].

FEMA risk ratings for each hazard

Ratings and expected losses from the FEMA National Risk Index. Each rating compares this county with all US counties for that hazard, from Very Low to Very High. They are planning estimates, not predictions, and they do not describe any single property.

FEMA estimates Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards at $26.5 million a year, rated Relatively Low[1]. This is a FEMA estimate of average yearly loss, not money anyone paid[7]. By FEMA's expected loss values, the largest are wildfire at $13.8 million a year, earthquake at $4.0 million a year and inland flooding at $3.7 million a year[8]. FEMA rates Social Vulnerability Very Low, meaning social groups are less susceptible to harm from natural hazards compared with other US counties[9]. FEMA rates Community Resilience Very High, which is a community's ability to prepare for, withstand and recover from hazards[10]. FEMA rates coastal flooding, hurricane and tsunami Not Applicable here[11].

Hazards sorted by FEMA hazard-type Risk Index score, highest first
HazardFEMA risk ratingExpected annual loss
WildfireRelatively Moderate$13.8 million[12]
Winter WeatherRelatively High$1.2 million[13]
EarthquakeRelatively Low$4.0 million[14]
LightningRelatively Moderate$1.2 million[15]
Strong WindRelatively Moderate$1.5 million[16]
AvalancheVery Low$1,642[17]
Heat WaveRelatively Low$762,000[18]
DroughtRelatively Low$65,000[19]
LandslideVery Low$699[20]
Inland FloodingVery Low$3.7 million[21]
Ice StormVery Low$16,000[22]
Volcanic ActivityVery Low$0[23]
TornadoVery Low$197,000[24]
HailVery Low$62,000[25]
Cold WaveVery Low$3,799[26]

Rated Not Applicable by FEMA for this county: coastal flooding, hurricane, tsunami[11].

Social vulnerability and community resilience

FEMA uses these two ratings to scale expected losses into the Risk Index.

FEMA measureRatingScore
Social vulnerabilityVery Low10.6[9]
Community resilienceVery High94.2[10]

Flooding and flood insurance

FEMA rates inland flooding Very Low for Tooele County, with an Expected Annual Loss of $3.7 million a year[21]. OpenFEMA lists 46 residential flood insurance contracts in force as of 2026-08-03[27]. Inside FEMA's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area, 13.6% of homes are insured[27]. OpenFEMA records 7 NFIP claims for losses from 1978 to 2026, and NFIP paid $62,000 in total[3]. To learn about a specific address, use FEMA's Flood Map Service Center[28].

Measure Value
Inland Flooding, FEMA risk rating[21] Very Low, $3.7 million expected loss a year
NFIP residential flood policies in force (2026)[27] 46 of 21,075 homes
Homes in FEMA's mapped high-risk flood area (SFHA)[27] 162, of which 22 insured
NFIP flood claims, 1978 to 2026[3] 7 filed, $62,000 paid

Is a specific address in a flood zone? Only FEMA's flood maps answer that, property by property[28]. This page describes the whole county.

Search an address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center

Disaster declarations and tornado records

OpenFEMA lists 9 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Tooele County since 1977[2]. The most recent were the Cherry Fire declared 2026-06-27 and the Iron Fire declared 2026-06-21[29]. NOAA's tornado database records 5 tornadoes touching the county from 1950 to 2024, and the strongest were rated F1[4].

Federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Tooele County, since 1977
Incident type Declarations
Flood[2] 4
Fire[2] 3
Coastal Storm[2] 1
Drought[2] 1
Most recent declarations
Declaration Incident Declared
FM-5641-UT[29] Cherry Fire 2026-06-27
FM-5639-UT[29] Iron Fire 2026-06-21
FM-5065-UT[29] Anaconda Fire 2014-07-21
DR-4011-UT[29] Flooding 2011-08-08
EM-3223-UT[29] Hurricane Katrina Evacuation 2005-09-05

How to prepare

Steps from Ready.gov, FEMA's preparedness site, for the hazards with the highest FEMA ratings here. Follow instructions from local officials and the National Weather Service when a warning is issued.

Wildfires

Before

  • Sign up for community alerts and watch for air quality alerts.
  • Make sure everyone knows the evacuation plan, including for school, work and other places you go often.
  • Keep a fire-resistant zone of at least 30 feet around your home, clear of leaves and debris.
  • Use fire-resistant building materials and keep a hose long enough to reach every part of your property.
  • Pick a room you can seal off from outside air and keep a portable air cleaner ready.

During

  • Leave right away when authorities tell you to evacuate.
  • If you are trapped, call 9-1-1 with your location and turn on lights to help rescuers find you.
  • If you are not ordered to leave but there is smoke, stay in a safe indoor place or go to a community building with less smoke.

Source: Ready.gov, wildfires

Winter storms and cold

Before

  • Insulate your home and learn how to keep pipes from freezing.
  • Install and test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors with battery backup.
  • Keep several days of supplies in case the power goes out, including medication and pet needs.
  • Put an emergency kit in your car with jumper cables, sand, blankets, water and snacks, and keep the tank full.

During

  • Under a winter storm warning, find shelter right away.
  • Stay off the roads if you can. If you are stuck in your car, stay inside it.
  • Run generators and grills only outdoors, away from windows, and never heat your home with an oven or stove.

Source: Ready.gov, winter storms and cold

Earthquakes

Before

  • Practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On with your family and coworkers.
  • Sign up for earthquake alerts that can warn you before shaking starts.
  • Make a plan with an out-of-state contact and a place to meet if you get separated.
  • Anchor heavy items such as bookcases, refrigerators and water heaters, and keep heavy things on low shelves.
  • Consider earthquake insurance. Standard homeowners policies do not cover earthquake damage.

During

  • Drop to your hands and knees, cover your head and neck, and hold on until the shaking stops.
  • Indoors, stay where you are and avoid doorways. Outdoors, move to an open area away from buildings and power lines.
  • If you are driving, pull over, stop and set the parking brake.

Source: Ready.gov, earthquakes

Questions people ask

Is Tooele County at risk of flooding?
FEMA rates inland flooding Very Low for Tooele County compared with other US counties[21]. For a specific address, check FEMA's Flood Map Service Center[28].
Is Tooele County at risk of tornadoes?
FEMA rates tornado risk Very Low compared with other US counties[24]. NOAA's tornado database records 5 tornadoes from 1950 to 2024[4].
Is Tooele County at risk of wildfire?
FEMA rates wildfire Relatively Moderate, with a score of 97.2 out of 100 compared with other US counties[12]. FEMA lists wildfire as the largest part of expected annual loss at $13.8 million a year[8].
Is Tooele County at risk of hurricanes?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates hurricane Not Applicable for Tooele County[11].
How many disasters were declared in Tooele County?
OpenFEMA lists 9 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include the county since 1977[2].

Facts and sources

  1. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards in Tooele County is $26.5 million a year (Expected Annual Loss rating Relatively Low, score 69.1). Of this, buildings account for $20.1 million, injuries and deaths (converted to dollars by FEMA) for $6.3... FEMA National Risk Index
  2. OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries list 9 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Tooele County since 1977 (4 major disaster, 5 emergency or fire management). By incident type: flood 4, fire 3, coastal storm 1, drought 1. Biological (such as COVID-19) and other non-natural declarations... OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations
  3. HazardFacts tally of OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims (losses from 1978 to 2026): 7 National Flood Insurance Program claims were filed for losses in Tooele County, 6 of them with a payment, and NFIP paid $62,000 in total (building, contents and increased cost of compliance, in dollars of the year paid). OpenFEMA NFIP claims
  4. NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950 to 2024): 5 recorded tornadoes touched Tooele County. The strongest were rated F1 (most recent of them on 1993-05-03). 0 were rated F3/EF3 or stronger. The most recent recorded tornado was on 1993-05-03. Ratings used the Fujita scale until early 2007 and the... NOAA Storm Prediction Center
  5. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): the overall natural hazard Risk Index rating for Tooele County is Relatively Low, with a Risk Index score of 48.8 out of 100. The score is the county's percentile rank among all US counties. FEMA National Risk Index
  6. Among the 18 hazards in the FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), the hazards with the highest hazard-type Risk Index scores for Tooele County are wildfire (97.2, Relatively Moderate), winter weather (95.1, Relatively High), earthquake (83.5, Relatively Low). HazardFacts sorted FEMA's published... FEMA National Risk Index
  7. FEMA's National Risk Index FAQ (December 2025): Expected Annual Loss is FEMA's estimate of the average economic loss in dollars from natural hazards each year. The index is not meant to predict how much damage a community will have in the next year, and a hazard can still cause damage where a rating is low. Scores... FEMA National Risk Index documentation
  8. HazardFacts sorted FEMA's hazard-type Expected Annual Loss values for Tooele County (National Risk Index v1.20): the largest are wildfire ($13.8 million a year), earthquake ($4.0 million a year), inland flooding ($3.7 million a year), out of $26.5 million a year from all 18 hazards. FEMA National Risk Index
  9. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Social Vulnerability rating for Tooele County is Very Low (score 10.6). FEMA describes social vulnerability as how susceptible social groups are to the harm natural hazards cause. FEMA National Risk Index
  10. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Community Resilience rating for Tooele County is Very High (score 94.2). FEMA describes community resilience as a community's ability to prepare for, withstand and recover from hazards. FEMA National Risk Index
  11. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025) rates these hazards Not Applicable for Tooele County: coastal flooding, hurricane, tsunami. FEMA uses Not Applicable when its source data has no historical record of the hazard in the community and the hazard is not considered geographically possible there. FEMA National Risk Index documentation
  12. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), wildfire in Tooele County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 97.2 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $13.8 million a year (rating Relatively High). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0165 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  13. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), winter weather in Tooele County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 95.1 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1.2 million a year (rating Very High). Annualized frequency 11.97 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  14. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), earthquake in Tooele County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 83.5 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $4.0 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0126 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  15. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), lightning in Tooele County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 79.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1.2 million a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 30.11 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 24 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  16. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), strong wind in Tooele County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 66.4 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1.5 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 1.12 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38... FEMA National Risk Index
  17. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), avalanche in Tooele County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 55.7 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1,642 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.03 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 28 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  18. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), heat wave in Tooele County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 53.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $762,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 2.87 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  19. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), drought in Tooele County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 34.5 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $65,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 95.38 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 22 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  20. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), landslide in Tooele County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 33.7 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $699 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA National Risk Index
  21. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), inland flooding in Tooele County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 18.2 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $3.7 million a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.61 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 26 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  22. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), ice storm in Tooele County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 14.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $16,000 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.01 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 68 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  23. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), volcanic activity in Tooele County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 14.3 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $0 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA National Risk Index
  24. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), tornado in Tooele County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 13.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $197,000 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.19 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  25. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hail in Tooele County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 11.4 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $62,000 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.11 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 37 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  26. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), cold wave in Tooele County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 3.5 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $3,799 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.05 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  27. NFIP Residential Penetration Rates (OpenFEMA, as of 2026-08-03): 46 residential flood insurance contracts were in force in Tooele County, out of 21,075 residential structures, a penetration rate of 0.2%. Inside FEMA's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area there were 162 residential structures and 22 contracts, a rate of... OpenFEMA NFIP penetration rates
  28. FEMA's Flood Map Service Center is the official public source for flood maps (Flood Insurance Rate Maps) produced under the National Flood Insurance Program. Flood zones apply to specific properties: look up an address there or ask the local floodplain manager. County-level ratings do not tell you the flood zone of... FEMA Flood Map Service Center
  29. Most recent federal disaster declarations for natural hazards (table on this page). OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations

FEMA's National Risk Index compares each county with all other US counties. Ratings are relative (Very Low to Very High), not a measure of safety. Never call a place safe, unsafe, good or bad to live in. Risk Index and Expected Annual Loss values are FEMA estimates for planning. They do not predict next year's losses and do not apply to a single property. Flood zones are set by FEMA flood maps for specific properties. County ratings and flood insurance counts do not tell anyone whether an address is in a flood zone. Disaster declaration, NFIP and tornado counts are records of the past for this county only. Do not compare with other counties unless a fact does.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Risk Index Dataset: National Risk Index Counties, v1.20 (December 2025). Retrieved from fema.maps.arcgis.com on October 30, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s). This product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA.