Natural Disasters in Salt Lake City, UT

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

98.6

Relatively High

Expected Annual Loss

99.3

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

10.6

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

66.4

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Earthquake99.6Avalanche99.1Winter Weather98.7

Hazard	Risk Score
Earthquake	99.6
Avalanche	99.1
Winter Weather	98.7
Wildfire	98.3
Lightning	94.4
Heat Wave	92.9
Landslide	86.4
Volcanic Activity	75.2
Tornado	71.0
Strong Wind	68.4
Hail	68.1
Drought	44.4
Cold Wave	32.6
Ice Storm	13.8

Scores range from 0 (lowest risk) to 100 (highest risk) relative to all U.S. communities. Data from FEMA National Risk Index.

Disaster Declarations

Source: FEMA OpenFEMA

Total Declarations

Most Recent

Fire

Aug 2021

Most Common Type

Fire

3 declarations

Date	Type	Declaration
Aug 14, 2021	Fire	PARLEYS CANYON FIRE
Jan 12, 2021	Severe Storm	STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS
Jul 9, 2020	Earthquake	EARTHQUAKE AND AFTERSHOCKS
Apr 4, 2020	Biological	COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Mar 13, 2020	Biological	COVID-19
Jun 29, 2012	Fire	ROSE CREST FIRE
Aug 8, 2011	Flood	FLOODING
Sep 19, 2010	Fire	MACHINE GUN FIRE
Sep 5, 2005	Coastal Storm	HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION
Aug 16, 1999	Tornado	TORNADO, SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS, AND HAIL
Aug 17, 1984	Flood	SEVERE STORMS, MUDSLIDES, LANDSLIDES & FLOODING
Apr 30, 1983	Flood	SEVERE STORMS, LANDSLIDES & FLOODING

Flood Insurance (NFIP)

Source: FEMA NFIP

Total Claims

403

Total Claims Paid

$1,709,129

Avg Claim Payout

$4,241

County-level NFIP data from FEMA National Flood Insurance Program.

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$470,891,544

Disasters with PA

Total Projects

264

Disaster	Type	Projects	Federal $
DR-4525	Biological	122	$437,658,483
DR-4548	Earthquake	49	$25,311,669
DR-4578	Severe Storm(s)	41	$5,678,045
DR-4011	Flood	24	$1,336,288
DR-1285	Tornado	9	$409,427
DR-3223	Coastal Storm	7	$262,322
DR-4053	Severe Storm(s)	9	$203,136
DR-4311	Flood	2	$23,379
DR-1598	Flood	1	$8,796

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

Federal Funding

$21,284,246

Properties Protected

883

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

2.76

BCR

Top Mitigation Project Types

Project Type	Projects	Federal $
205.6: Structural Retrofitting/Rehabilitating Public Structures - Seismic	7	$6,914,183
205.5: Structural Retrofitting/Rehabilitating Private Structures - Seismic	4	$10,114,999
106.1: Other Non Construction (Regular Project Only)	3	$62,009
91.1: Local Multihazard Mitigation Plan	3	$608,871
300.2: Vegetation Management - Wildfire	3	$673,551

Federally funded projects to reduce future disaster risk. Only includes completed or obligated projects.

Salt Lake City has a relatively high overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are earthquake, avalanche, winter weather. The area has had 12 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is fire (3 declarations). 403 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $470,891,544 in public assistance recovery funding. 31 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.