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Every federal disaster in Santa Barbara since 1954

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

Declarations
68since 1954
Major disasters
52the most serious kind
Since 2000
44declarations
Most recent
2024Severe Storms and Flooding
195419551956195819601961196219621963196319641969197019721973197719781980198019831988199019901991199319951995199820002004200420052005200720072007200820082008200820092010201120132015201720172017201720172017201820182019201920192019201920202020202020212023202320232023202320232023202320232023202420242024
Floods (21)Fires (18)Severe storms and tornadoes (16)Hurricanes and tropical storms (4)Winter storms (3)Other (2)Earthquakes and landslides (2)Biological (COVID-19) (2)

FEMA's National Risk Index rates Santa Barbara County's overall natural hazard risk relatively high, led by drought, landslide and wildfire. The history above shows what has actually happened; the risk index estimates what is likely.

All declarations

DeclaredEventTypeFEMA number
Apr 19, 2024Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4772
Apr 19, 2024Severe Winter StormMajor disasterDR-4773
Apr 13, 2024Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disasterDR-4769
Oct 18, 2023Tropical Storm HilaryMajor disasterDR-4746
Sep 27, 2023Tropical Storm HilaryMajor disasterDR-4743
May 25, 2023Severe Storm and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4714
May 18, 2023Severe Winter Storm and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4713
Apr 25, 2023Severe Winter Storms and MudslidesMajor disasterDR-4707
Apr 3, 2023Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disasterDR-4699
Mar 10, 2023Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesEmergencyEM-3592
Mar 8, 2023EarthquakeMajor disasterDR-4692
Jan 14, 2023Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disasterDR-4683
Jan 9, 2023Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and MudslidesEmergencyEM-3591
Oct 13, 2021Alisal FireFire managementFM-5419
Mar 22, 2020COVID-19 PandemicMajor disasterDR-4482
Mar 13, 2020COVID-19EmergencyEM-3428
Nov 26, 2019Cave FireFire managementFM-5303
May 1, 2019Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disasterDR-4431
Apr 8, 2019Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4425
Mar 28, 2019Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4423
Mar 26, 2019Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disasterDR-4422
Jul 7, 2018Holiday FireFire managementFM-5252
Jan 2, 2018Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflows, and Debris FlowsMajor disasterDR-4353
Dec 8, 2017WildfiresEmergencyEM-3396
Dec 5, 2017Thomas FireFire managementFM-5224
May 2, 2017FloodingMajor disasterDR-4312
Apr 1, 2017Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and MudslidesMajor disasterDR-4308
Mar 16, 2017Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and MudslidesMajor disasterDR-4305
Feb 14, 2017Severe Winter StormMajor disasterDR-4302
Jan 27, 2015Severe Storms, Flooding, and MudslidesMajor disasterDR-4206
Aug 29, 2013WildfireMajor disasterDR-4142
Jan 26, 2011Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud FlowsMajor disasterDR-1952
May 6, 2009Jesusita FireFire managementFM-2817
Nov 18, 2008WildfiresMajor disasterDR-1810
Nov 14, 2008Tea FireFire managementFM-2790
Jul 4, 2008Gap FireFire managementFM-2780
Jun 28, 2008WildfiresEmergencyEM-3287
Oct 24, 2007Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris FlowsMajor disasterDR-1731
Oct 23, 2007WildfiresEmergencyEM-3279
Mar 13, 2007Severe FreezeMajor disasterDR-1689
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergencyEM-3248
Feb 4, 2005Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and MudslidesMajor disasterDR-1577
Jun 5, 2004Ca-Gaviota Fire-06-05-2004Fire managementFM-2519
Jan 13, 2004EarthquakeMajor disasterDR-1505
Feb 9, 1998Severe Winter Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1203
Mar 12, 1995Severe Winter Storms, Flooding Landslides, Mud FlowMajor disasterDR-1046
Jan 10, 1995Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mud FlowsMajor disasterDR-1044
Feb 3, 1993Severe Winter Storm, Mud & Land Slides, & FloodingMajor disasterDR-979
Feb 11, 1991Severe FreezeMajor disasterDR-894
Jun 30, 1990FiresMajor disasterDR-872
Feb 5, 1988Severe Storms, High Tides & FloodingMajor disasterDR-812
Feb 9, 1983Coastal Storms, Floods, Slides & TornadoesMajor disasterDR-677
Feb 21, 1980Severe Storms, Mudslides & FloodingMajor disasterDR-615
Feb 15, 1978Coastal Storms, Mudslides & FloodingMajor disasterDR-547
Jan 20, 1977DroughtEmergencyEM-3023
Feb 8, 1973Severe Storms, High Tides & FloodingMajor disasterDR-364
Jan 11, 1972Winds, Flooding, MudslidesMajor disasterDR-316
Jan 26, 1969Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disasterDR-253
Apr 1, 1964Seismic Sea WaveMajor disasterDR-169
Dec 21, 1963Flood Due to Broken DamMajor disasterDR-161
Feb 25, 1963Severe Storms, Heavy Rains & FloodingMajor disasterDR-145
Oct 24, 1962Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disasterDR-138
Mar 6, 1962FloodsMajor disasterDR-122
Nov 16, 1961Fire (Los Angeles County)Major disasterDR-119
Apr 4, 1958Heavy Rainstorms & FloodMajor disasterDR-82
Dec 29, 1956Forest FireMajor disasterDR-65
Dec 23, 1955FloodMajor disasterDR-47
Feb 5, 1954Flood & ErosionMajor disasterDR-15

Frequently asked questions

How many federal disasters has Santa Barbara had?

Since 1954, the federal government has issued 68 disaster or emergency declarations covering Santa Barbara County, including 52 major disaster declarations. 44 of them came in 2000 or later.

What was the most recent federal disaster in Santa Barbara?

Severe Storms and Flooding (Major disaster, declared April 19, 2024).

What kinds of disasters hit Santa Barbara most often?

By FEMA incident type: flood (20), fire (18), severe storm (16) and freezing (2).

New to Santa Barbara? 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 Santa Barbara 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.