Wisconsin natural disasters & FEMA declarations
WI · 42nd most declarations of 51 states/DC
Wisconsin has had 55 federally declared disasters since 1965, the 42nd most of any US state or DC. Its most common hazard is Flood (20 declarations, about 36% of the total). The most recent declaration was "Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, And Mudslides" (Flood), on Sep 11, 2025.
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2. Data as of June 2026.
Declarations by hazard type
These are the distinct FEMA disaster declarations for Wisconsin, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | 20 | 36% |
| Severe Storm | 20 | 36% |
| Tornado | 6 | 11% |
| Snowstorm | 4 | 7% |
| Biological | 2 | 4% |
| Hurricane | 1 | 2% |
| Fire | 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 |
|---|---|
| Major Disaster (DR) | 46 |
| Emergency (EM) | 8 |
| Fire Management Assistance (FM) | 1 |
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2. Data as of June 2026.
Declarations by decade
How Wisconsin'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 |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 3 |
| 1970s | 9 |
| 1980s | 6 |
| 1990s | 12 |
| 2000s | 10 |
| 2010s | 11 |
| 2020s | 4 |
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2. Data as of June 2026.
Most recent declarations
| Date | Title | Type | FEMA ID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 11, 2025 | Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, And Mudslides | Flood | DR-4892-WI |
| Apr 4, 2020 | Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | DR-4520-WI |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Covid-19 | Biological | EM-3454-WI |
| Mar 11, 2020 | Severe Winter Storm And Flooding | Flood | DR-4477-WI |
| Aug 27, 2019 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Flood | DR-4459-WI |
| Oct 18, 2018 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides | Flood | DR-4402-WI |
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2. Data as of June 2026.
Notable earthquakes in or near Wisconsin
No magnitude-6.0+ earthquakes are attributed to Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin had?
Wisconsin has had 55 distinct FEMA disaster declarations since 1965, the 42nd most of any US state or DC, according to FEMA's Disaster Declarations Summaries.
What is the most common disaster in Wisconsin?
The most common federally declared disaster type in Wisconsin is "Flood", with 20 declarations — about 36% of the state's total.
When was the most recent disaster declaration in Wisconsin?
The most recent FEMA declaration in Wisconsin in this snapshot was "Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, And Mudslides" (Flood), declared Sep 11, 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