Utah natural disasters & FEMA declarations
UT · 41st most declarations of 51 states/DC
Utah has had 56 federally declared disasters since 1977, the 41st most of any US state or DC. Its most common hazard is Fire (37 declarations, about 66% of the total). The most recent declaration was "Monroe Canyon Fire" (Fire), on Jul 16, 2025.
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2. Data as of June 2026.
Declarations by hazard type
These are the distinct FEMA disaster declarations for Utah, grouped by their primary incident type. A single declaration can affect many counties; each is counted once here.
| Hazard / incident type | Declarations | Share of state total |
|---|---|---|
| Fire | 37 | 66% |
| Flood | 10 | 18% |
| Severe Storm | 3 | 5% |
| Biological | 2 | 4% |
| Earthquake | 1 | 2% |
| Coastal Storm | 1 | 2% |
| Tornado | 1 | 2% |
| Drought | 1 | 2% |
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2. Data as of June 2026.
Declarations by program type
FEMA issues several kinds of declaration. Major Disaster (DR) declarations unlock the widest assistance; Emergency (EM) declarations are more limited; and Fire Management Assistance (FM) grants help fight large wildfires.
| Declaration type | Declarations |
|---|---|
| Fire Management Assistance (FM) | 37 |
| Major Disaster (DR) | 16 |
| Emergency (EM) | 3 |
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2. Data as of June 2026.
Declarations by decade
How Utah's declaration count has changed over time. Earlier decades reflect both fewer disasters and a narrower federal declaration program; recent decades are the most complete.
| Decade | Declarations |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 1 |
| 1980s | 4 |
| 1990s | 3 |
| 2000s | 12 |
| 2010s | 20 |
| 2020s | 16 |
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2. Data as of June 2026.
Most recent declarations
| Date | Title | Type | FEMA ID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 16, 2025 | Monroe Canyon Fire | Fire | FM-5600-UT |
| Jul 12, 2025 | Deer Creek Fire | Fire | FM-5598-UT |
| Jun 20, 2025 | Forsyth Fire | Fire | FM-5591-UT |
| Jul 7, 2024 | Silver King Fire | Fire | FM-5504-UT |
| Dec 23, 2023 | Flooding | Flood | DR-4752-UT |
| Aug 14, 2021 | Parleys Canyon Fire | Fire | FM-5408-UT |
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2. Data as of June 2026.
Notable earthquakes in or near Utah
No magnitude-6.0+ earthquakes are attributed to Utah in the USGS catalog used here. That does not mean the state has zero seismic risk — smaller earthquakes occur in most states. See our earthquake risk by region guide.
Frequently asked questions
How many federally declared disasters has Utah had?
Utah has had 56 distinct FEMA disaster declarations since 1977, the 41st most of any US state or DC, according to FEMA's Disaster Declarations Summaries.
What is the most common disaster in Utah?
The most common federally declared disaster type in Utah is "Fire", with 37 declarations — about 66% of the state's total.
When was the most recent disaster declaration in Utah?
The most recent FEMA declaration in Utah in this snapshot was "Monroe Canyon Fire" (Fire), declared Jul 16, 2025.
Related
Source & notes
Disaster data from OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2; earthquake data from USGS Earthquake Hazards Program (FDSN event service). Both are US public domain. Counts are distinct declarations (a declaration affecting many counties is counted once). HazardMap is not affiliated with or endorsed by FEMA or USGS; this is general information, not safety or insurance advice. Verify with official sources.
Last updated: 2026-06-18