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Every federal disaster in Bend since 1955

Each square is a disaster or emergency declaration by the President or FEMA that covered Deschutes County. Declarations make federal aid available after hurricanes, floods, storms, fires and other events, so this is a record of the big ones.

Declarations
26since 1955
Major disasters
12the most serious kind
Since 2000
18declarations
Most recent
2026Akawa Butte Fire
195519561957196019621963196419701977198019901996200020022003200420052006200720102014201720172020202020202020202120232024202420252026
Fires (12)Floods (6)Severe storms and tornadoes (3)Biological (COVID-19) (2)Other (1)Hurricanes and tropical storms (1)Earthquakes and landslides (1)

FEMA's National Risk Index rates Deschutes County's overall natural hazard risk relatively moderate, led by wildfire, winter weather and lightning. The history above shows what has actually happened; the risk index estimates what is likely.

All declarations

DeclaredEventTypeFEMA number
Jul 23, 2026Akawa Butte FireFire managementFM-5647
Aug 23, 2025Flat FireFire managementFM-5610
Aug 2, 2024Mile Marker 132 FireFire managementFM-5527
Jun 25, 2024Darlene 3 FireFire managementFM-5500
Aug 28, 2023Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disasterDR-4733
Jun 30, 20210419 FireFire managementFM-5394
Sep 15, 2020Wildfires and Straight-Line WindsMajor disasterDR-4562
Mar 28, 2020COVID-19 PandemicMajor disasterDR-4499
Mar 13, 2020COVID-19EmergencyEM-3429
Aug 17, 2017Milli 0843 Cs FireFire managementFM-5196
Aug 8, 2017Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disasterDR-4328
Jun 8, 2014Two Bulls FireFire managementFM-5056
Sep 3, 2007Gw FireFire managementFM-2727
Jul 27, 2006Black Crater FireFire managementFM-2659
Sep 7, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergencyEM-3228
Feb 19, 2004Severe Winter StormsMajor disasterDR-1510
Aug 20, 2003Or-Booth Fire-8-19-2003Fire managementFM-2493
Jul 29, 2002Or - Cache Mountain Fire - 07/28/02Fire managementFM-2455
Feb 9, 1996High Winds, Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1099
Apr 29, 1977DroughtEmergencyEM-3039
Dec 24, 1964Heavy Rains & FloodingMajor disasterDR-184
Feb 25, 1963FloodsMajor disasterDR-144
Oct 16, 1962Severe StormsMajor disasterDR-136
Mar 1, 1957FloodMajor disasterDR-69
Jul 20, 1956Storm & FloodMajor disasterDR-60
Dec 29, 1955FloodMajor disasterDR-49

Frequently asked questions

How many federal disasters has Bend had?

Since 1955, the federal government has issued 26 disaster or emergency declarations covering Deschutes County, including 12 major disaster declarations. 18 of them came in 2000 or later.

What was the most recent federal disaster in Bend?

Akawa Butte Fire (Fire management, declared July 23, 2026).

What kinds of disasters hit Bend most often?

By FEMA incident type: fire (12), flood (6), severe storm (3) and biological (2).

New to Bend? The city profile 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 Deschutes 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.