Every federal disaster in Boise since 1956
Each square is a disaster or emergency declaration by the President or FEMA that covered Ada County. Declarations make federal aid available after hurricanes, floods, storms, fires and other events, so this is a record of the big ones.
- Declarations
- 12since 1956
- Major disasters
- 10the most serious kind
- Since 2000
- 5declarations
- Most recent
- 2020COVID-19 Pandemic
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Ada County's overall natural hazard risk relatively moderate, led by winter weather, wildfire and strong wind. The history above shows what has actually happened; the risk index estimates what is likely.
All declarations
| Declared | Event | Type | FEMA number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 9, 2020 | COVID-19 Pandemic | Major disaster | DR-4534 |
| Mar 13, 2020 | COVID-19 | Emergency | EM-3467 |
| Oct 7, 2017 | Flooding | Major disaster | DR-4342 |
| Sep 13, 2005 | Hurricane Katrina | Emergency | EM-3244 |
| Sep 1, 2000 | Wildfires | Major disaster | DR-1341 |
| Dec 31, 1964 | Heavy Rains & Flooding | Major disaster | DR-186 |
| Feb 14, 1963 | Floods | Major disaster | DR-143 |
| Feb 14, 1962 | Floods | Major disaster | DR-120 |
| Jun 26, 1961 | Floods | Major disaster | DR-116 |
| Jul 22, 1960 | Fires | Major disaster | DR-105 |
| May 27, 1957 | Flood | Major disaster | DR-76 |
| Apr 21, 1956 | Floods | Major disaster | DR-55 |
Frequently asked questions
How many federal disasters has Boise had?
Since 1956, the federal government has issued 12 disaster or emergency declarations covering Ada County, including 10 major disaster declarations. 5 of them came in 2000 or later.
What was the most recent federal disaster in Boise?
COVID-19 Pandemic (Major disaster, declared April 9, 2020).
What kinds of disasters hit Boise most often?
By FEMA incident type: flood (7), fire (2), biological (2) and hurricane (1).
New to Boise? 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 Ada 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.