Every federal disaster in Kennewick since 1956
Each square is a disaster or emergency declaration by the President or FEMA that covered Benton County. Declarations make federal aid available after hurricanes, floods, storms, fires and other events, so this is a record of the big ones.
- Declarations
- 29since 1956
- Major disasters
- 21the most serious kind
- Since 2000
- 16declarations
- Most recent
- 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Benton County's overall natural hazard risk relatively moderate, led by winter weather and ice storm. The history above shows what has actually happened; the risk index estimates what is likely.
All declarations
| Declared | Event | Type | FEMA number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 12, 2025 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides | Emergency | EM-3629 |
| Nov 26, 2024 | Wildfires | Major disaster | DR-4849 |
| Sep 24, 2024 | Wildfires | Major disaster | DR-4823 |
| Dec 21, 2021 | Wildfires | Major disaster | DR-4631 |
| Mar 22, 2020 | COVID-19 Pandemic | Major disaster | DR-4481 |
| Mar 13, 2020 | COVID-19 | Emergency | EM-3427 |
| Mar 13, 2020 | COVID-19 | Emergency | EM-3507 |
| Aug 17, 2018 | Flooding | Major disaster | DR-4384 |
| Apr 21, 2017 | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides | Major disaster | DR-4309 |
| Aug 1, 2016 | South Ward Gap Fire | Fire management | FM-5142 |
| Aug 22, 2009 | Dry Creek Fire Complex | Fire management | FM-2827 |
| Mar 2, 2009 | Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow | Major disaster | DR-1825 |
| Jan 30, 2009 | Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding | Major disaster | DR-1817 |
| Sep 7, 2005 | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Emergency | EM-3227 |
| Mar 1, 2001 | Earthquake | Major disaster | DR-1361 |
| Feb 29, 2000 | Two Fork Fire | Fire management | FM-2311 |
| Jan 17, 1997 | Severe Winter Storms, Land & Muds Slides,Flooding | Major disaster | DR-1159 |
| Feb 9, 1996 | High Winds, Severe Storms and Flooding | Major disaster | DR-1100 |
| Jan 18, 1990 | Severe Storms & Flooding | Major disaster | DR-852 |
| May 21, 1980 | Volcanic Eruption, Mt. St. Helens | Major disaster | DR-623 |
| Dec 10, 1977 | Severe Storms,Mudslides, & Flooding | Major disaster | DR-545 |
| Mar 31, 1977 | Drought | Emergency | EM-3037 |
| Dec 13, 1975 | Severe Storms & Flooding | Major disaster | DR-492 |
| Jan 25, 1974 | Severe Storms, Snowmelt & Flooding | Major disaster | DR-414 |
| Dec 29, 1964 | Heavy Rains & Flooding | Major disaster | DR-185 |
| Mar 2, 1963 | Floods | Major disaster | DR-146 |
| Oct 20, 1962 | Severe Storms | Major disaster | DR-137 |
| Mar 6, 1957 | Floods | Major disaster | DR-70 |
| Feb 25, 1956 | Flood | Major disaster | DR-50 |
Frequently asked questions
How many federal disasters has Kennewick had?
Since 1956, the federal government has issued 29 disaster or emergency declarations covering Benton County, including 21 major disaster declarations. 16 of them came in 2000 or later.
What was the most recent federal disaster in Kennewick?
Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides (Emergency, declared December 12, 2025).
What kinds of disasters hit Kennewick most often?
By FEMA incident type: flood (13), fire (6), severe storm (3) and biological (3).
New to Kennewick? 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 Benton 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.