Every federal disaster in Austin since 1953
Each square is a disaster or emergency declaration by the President or FEMA that covered Travis County. Declarations make federal aid available after hurricanes, floods, storms, fires and other events, so this is a record of the big ones.
- Declarations
- 48since 1953
- Major disasters
- 28the most serious kind
- Since 2000
- 31declarations
- Most recent
- 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Travis County's overall natural hazard risk relatively high, led by tornado, hail and inland flooding. The history above shows what has actually happened; the risk index estimates what is likely.
All declarations
| Declared | Event | Type | FEMA number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 6, 2025 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding | Major disaster | DR-4879 |
| Apr 21, 2023 | Severe Winter Storm | Major disaster | DR-4705 |
| Feb 19, 2021 | Severe Winter Storms | Major disaster | DR-4586 |
| Feb 14, 2021 | Severe Winter Storm | Emergency | EM-3554 |
| Aug 24, 2020 | Tropical Storms Marco and Laura | Emergency | EM-3540 |
| Mar 25, 2020 | COVID-19 Pandemic | Major disaster | DR-4485 |
| Mar 13, 2020 | COVID-19 | Emergency | EM-3458 |
| Mar 13, 2020 | COVID-19 | Emergency | EM-3501 |
| Feb 25, 2019 | Severe Storms and Flooding | Major disaster | DR-4416 |
| Aug 25, 2017 | Hurricane Harvey | Major disaster | DR-4332 |
| Jun 11, 2016 | Severe Storms and Flooding | Major disaster | DR-4272 |
| Nov 25, 2015 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding | Major disaster | DR-4245 |
| May 29, 2015 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding | Major disaster | DR-4223 |
| Dec 20, 2013 | Severe Storms and Flooding | Major disaster | DR-4159 |
| Sep 9, 2011 | Wildfires | Major disaster | DR-4029 |
| Sep 5, 2011 | Pedernales Bend Fire | Fire management | FM-2959 |
| Sep 5, 2011 | Steiner Ranch Fire | Fire management | FM-2960 |
| Sep 4, 2011 | Hodde Fire | Fire management | FM-2957 |
| Jun 16, 2011 | Grand Mesa Fire | Fire management | FM-2922 |
| Apr 17, 2011 | Pinnacle Fire | Fire management | FM-2898 |
| Sep 10, 2008 | Hurricane Ike | Emergency | EM-3294 |
| Aug 29, 2008 | Hurricane Gustav | Emergency | EM-3290 |
| Mar 14, 2008 | Wildfires | Emergency | EM-3284 |
| Aug 18, 2007 | Hurricane Dean | Emergency | EM-3277 |
| Jun 29, 2007 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding | Major disaster | DR-1709 |
| Sep 14, 2006 | Moore Road Fire | Fire management | FM-2675 |
| Jan 11, 2006 | Extreme Wildfire Threat | Major disaster | DR-1624 |
| Sep 24, 2005 | Hurricane Rita | Major disaster | DR-1606 |
| Sep 21, 2005 | Hurricane Rita | Emergency | EM-3261 |
| Sep 2, 2005 | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Emergency | EM-3216 |
| Jul 4, 2002 | Severe Storms and Flooding | Major disaster | DR-1425 |
| Sep 1, 1999 | Extreme Fire Hazards | Emergency | EM-3142 |
| Oct 21, 1998 | Tx-Flooding 10/18/98 | Major disaster | DR-1257 |
| Aug 26, 1998 | Tropical Storm Charley | Major disaster | DR-1239 |
| Jun 23, 1998 | Fire | Emergency | EM-3127 |
| Jul 7, 1997 | Severe Storms and Flooding | Major disaster | DR-1179 |
| Feb 23, 1996 | Extreme Fire Hazard | Emergency | EM-3117 |
| Sep 10, 1993 | Extreme Fire Hazard | Emergency | EM-3113 |
| Dec 26, 1991 | Severe Thunderstorms | Major disaster | DR-930 |
| Sep 24, 1963 | Hurricane Cindy | Major disaster | DR-159 |
| Sep 16, 1961 | Hurricane Carla | Major disaster | DR-118 |
| Jul 15, 1960 | Heavy Rains, Hail, Floods & Tornadoes | Major disaster | DR-103 |
| Jul 8, 1959 | Floods | Major disaster | DR-93 |
| Jun 6, 1958 | Tornadoes, Rain, Hail & Floods | Major disaster | DR-85 |
| Apr 29, 1957 | Hurricane, Rain, Wind, Hail & Floods | Major disaster | DR-72 |
| Jul 1, 1954 | Flood | Major disaster | DR-18 |
| Jun 19, 1953 | Flood | Major disaster | DR-9 |
| May 15, 1953 | Tornado & Heavy Rainfall | Major disaster | DR-2 |
Frequently asked questions
How many federal disasters has Austin had?
Since 1953, the federal government has issued 48 disaster or emergency declarations covering Travis County, including 28 major disaster declarations. 31 of them came in 2000 or later.
What was the most recent federal disaster in Austin?
Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding (Major disaster, declared July 6, 2025).
What kinds of disasters hit Austin most often?
By FEMA incident type: fire (12), hurricane (11), flood (10) and severe storm (6).
New to Austin? The moving checklist covers flood maps and emergency alerts, and the risk summary shows FEMA's hazard ratings.
Source: FEMA, OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), downloaded October 18, 2026. We list declarations that named Travis County, plus early statewide declarations from before FEMA designated individual counties. "Major disaster" declarations bring the widest federal aid; "emergency" declarations cover shorter-term help; "fire management" declarations help pay to fight large wildfires.