FEMADisaster declarationsOpenFEMA to September 29, 2026
FEMA disaster declarations since 1953
FEMA and its predecessors have made 5,267 disaster declarations since 1953. In 2026, FEMA had made 133 as of September 29, 2026 (OpenFEMA): 47 major disasters, 24 emergencies and 62 fire management assistance declarations, against 132 a year on average in 2008-2025.
The latest declarations of 2026
| Declaration | State | Incident | Declared | Areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EM-3654-HI | Hawaii | Tropical Storm | September 25, 2026 | 4 |
| FM-5677-TX | Texas | Fire | September 15, 2026 | 1 |
| FM-5676-AR | Arkansas | Fire | September 15, 2026 | 2 |
| DR-4944-CO | Colorado | Fire | September 1, 2026 | 4 |
| DR-4943-KS | Kansas | Severe Storm | September 1, 2026 | 21 |
| DR-4942-IA | Iowa | Severe Storm | September 1, 2026 | 4 |
| DR-4941-SD | South Dakota | Severe Storm | September 1, 2026 | 1 |
| DR-4940-KS | Kansas | Severe Storm | September 1, 2026 | 32 |
| DR-4939-MO | Missouri | Severe Storm | September 1, 2026 | 9 |
| DR-4938-SD | South Dakota | Severe Storm | September 1, 2026 | 10 |
| DR-4937-KY | Kentucky | Severe Storm | September 1, 2026 | 20 |
| DR-4936-HI | Hawaii | Earthquake | September 1, 2026 | 1 |
Source: FEMA, OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). Data as of September 29, 2026.
How many declarations a year?
Major disaster, emergency and fire management assistance declarations per calendar year of the declaration date. The chart starts in 1980; the table lists every year since 1953.
The numbers
| Year | Major disasters | Emergencies | Fire management |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 47 | 24 | 62 |
| 2025 | 45 | 7 | 67 |
| 2024 | 100 | 20 | 62 |
| 2023 | 71 | 13 | 30 |
| 2022 | 47 | 10 | 33 |
| 2021 | 58 | 22 | 40 |
| 2020 | 104 | 133 | 78 |
| 2019 | 61 | 15 | 25 |
| 2018 | 59 | 14 | 51 |
| 2017 | 59 | 16 | 62 |
| 2016 | 46 | 7 | 50 |
| 2015 | 43 | 2 | 34 |
| 2014 | 45 | 6 | 33 |
| 2013 | 62 | 5 | 28 |
| 2012 | 47 | 16 | 49 |
| 2011 | 99 | 29 | 114 |
| 2010 | 81 | 9 | 18 |
| 2009 | 59 | 7 | 49 |
| 2008 | 75 | 17 | 51 |
| 2007 | 63 | 13 | 60 |
| 2006 | 52 | 5 | 86 |
| 2005 | 48 | 68 | 39 |
| 2004 | 68 | 7 | 43 |
| 2003 | 56 | 19 | 48 |
| 2002 | 49 | 0 | 69 |
| 2001 | 45 | 11 | 44 |
| 2000 | 45 | 6 | 63 |
| 1999 | 50 | 20 | 40 |
| 1998 | 65 | 9 | 54 |
| 1997 | 44 | 0 | 3 |
| 1996 | 75 | 8 | 75 |
| 1995 | 32 | 2 | 4 |
| 1994 | 36 | 1 | 20 |
| 1993 | 32 | 19 | 7 |
| 1992 | 45 | 2 | 6 |
| 1991 | 43 | 0 | 2 |
| 1990 | 38 | 0 | 5 |
| 1989 | 31 | 0 | 1 |
| 1988 | 11 | 0 | 5 |
| 1987 | 23 | 1 | 7 |
| 1986 | 28 | 0 | 1 |
| 1985 | 27 | 0 | 9 |
| 1984 | 34 | 4 | 4 |
| 1983 | 21 | 1 | 2 |
| 1982 | 24 | 3 | 0 |
| 1981 | 15 | 0 | 3 |
| 1980 | 23 | 6 | 2 |
| 1979 | 41 | 10 | 7 |
| 1978 | 25 | 14 | 2 |
| 1977 | 22 | 34 | 5 |
| 1976 | 28 | 8 | 7 |
| 1975 | 38 | 6 | 1 |
| 1974 | 46 | 5 | 2 |
| 1973 | 46 | 0 | 9 |
| 1972 | 48 | 0 | 0 |
| 1971 | 17 | 0 | 3 |
| 1970 | 17 | 0 | 2 |
| 1969 | 29 | 0 | 0 |
| 1968 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 1967 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 1966 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 1965 | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| 1964 | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| 1963 | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| 1962 | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| 1961 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 1960 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 1959 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 1958 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 1957 | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 1956 | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 1955 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 1954 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| 1953 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
Source: FEMA, OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). Data as of September 29, 2026.
Declarations by year
- 2026133
- 2025119
- 2024182
- 2023114
- 202290
- 2021120
- 2020315
- 2019101
- 2018124
- 2017137
- 2016103
- 201579
- 201484
- 201395
- 2012112
- 2011242
- 2010108
- 2009115
- 2008143
- 2007136
- 2006143
- 2005155
- 2004118
- 2003123
- 2002118
- 2001100
- 2000114
- 1999110
- 1998128
- 199747
- 1996158
- 199538
- 199457
- 199358
- 199253
- 199145
- 199043
- 198932
- 198816
- 198731
- 198629
- 198536
- 198442
- 198324
- 198227
- 198118
- 198031
- 197958
- 197841
- 197761
- 197643
- 197545
- 197453
- 197355
- 197248
- 197120
- 197019
- 196929
- 196818
- 196710
- 196611
- 196525
- 196425
- 196320
- 196222
- 196112
- 196012
- 19597
- 19587
- 195716
- 195616
- 195518
- 195417
- 195313
What do DR, EM and FM mean?
A declaration number names the program: DR is a major disaster declaration (the president's broadest help, which can open Individual Assistance, Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation), EM an emergency declaration (narrower, often before a storm arrives), and FM a fire management assistance declaration (help with the cost of fighting a wildfire). The same number appears as DR-4933-IN, FEMA-4933-DR or "disaster 4933". How the numbers work.
Source: FEMA, How a Disaster Gets Declared.