Natural Disasters in Selah, WA
Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data
Natural Hazard Risk
Source: FEMA National Risk IndexRisk Score
94.0
Relatively Moderate
Expected Annual Loss
92.3
Score (0-100)
Social Vulnerability
63.9
Score (0-100)
Community Resilience
13.5
Score (0-100)
Scores range from 0 (lowest risk) to 100 (highest risk) relative to all U.S. communities. Data from FEMA National Risk Index.
Disaster History & Federal Spending
Source: FEMATotal Declarations
35
Public Assistance
$3.7M
Individual Assistance
$711K
Most Common Type
Fire
17 declarations
| Disaster | Type | Date | PA $ | IA $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides → | Flood | Dec 2025 | — | — |
| Retreat Fire → | Fire | Jul 2024 | — | — |
| West White Swan Fire → | Fire | Jul 2024 | — | — |
| Slide Ranch Fire → | Fire | Jun 2024 | — | — |
| Schneider Springs Fire → | Fire | Aug 2021 | — | — |
| Wildfires and Straight-line Winds → | Fire | Feb 2021 | — | — |
| Evans Canyon Fire → | Fire | Sep 2020 | — | — |
| North Brownstown Fire → | Fire | Aug 2020 | — | — |
| Covid-19 Pandemic → | Biological | Mar 2020 | $3.1M | $711K |
| Covid-19 → | Biological | Mar 2020 | — | — |
| Hawk Fire → | Fire | Aug 2018 | — | — |
| South Wenas Fire → | Fire | Jun 2017 | — | — |
| Wildfires and Mudslides → | Fire | Oct 2015 | — | — |
| Wildfires → | Fire | Aug 2015 | — | — |
| Cowiche Mills Fire → | Fire | Jul 2010 | — | — |
| Dry Creek Fire Complex → | Fire | Aug 2009 | — | — |
| Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow → | Severe Storm | Mar 2009 | $132K | — |
| Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding → | Flood | Jan 2009 | $439K | — |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation → | Coastal Storm | Sep 2005 | — | — |
| Mud Lake Fire → | Fire | Aug 2004 | — | — |
Showing 20 of 35 disasters
PA = FEMA Public Assistance (infrastructure recovery). IA = Individual Assistance (homeowner/renter aid).
Flood Insurance (NFIP)
Source: FEMA NFIPTotal Claims
320
Total Claims Paid
$2,760,208
Avg Claim Payout
$8,626
County-level NFIP data from FEMA National Flood Insurance Program.
Hazard Mitigation
Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation AssistanceMitigation Projects
8
Federal Funding
$7,201,111
Properties Protected
62
Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio
1.45
BCR
Top Mitigation Project Types
| Project Type | Projects | Federal $ |
|---|---|---|
| 91.1: Local Multihazard Mitigation Plan | 2 | $849,989 |
| 103.1: Feasibility, Engineering and Design Studies; 200.1: Acquisition of Private Real Property (Structures and Land) - Riverine; 200.5: Acquisition of Vacant Land; 405.1: Other Minor Flood Control | 1 | $2,000,625 |
| 91.5: Local Multijurisdictional Multihazard Mitigation Plan - UPDATE | 1 | $52,500 |
| 202.1: Elevation of Private Structures - Riverine | 1 | $20,360 |
| 402.1: Infrastructure Protective Measures (Roads and Bridges) | 1 | $120,000 |
Federally funded projects to reduce future disaster risk. Only includes completed or obligated projects.
Selah has a relatively moderate overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are wildfire, landslide, cold wave. The area has had 35 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is fire (17 declarations). 320 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $3,651,018 in public assistance recovery funding. $710,588 has been distributed in individual assistance to disaster-affected residents. 8 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.