Disaster Assistance

Washington has experienced many presidentially-declared major disasters (PDF). It's important to note that every county in our state has at some point suffered from a major disaster.

When the President declares a major disaster, individuals, families and government agencies — including state agencies, local governments (counties, cities, towns, special purpose districts) and federally-recognized tribal governments, as well as certain private non-profits may be eligible for disaster assistance.

Individuals and households may also be eligible for federal help following a disaster. The Emergency Management Division Individuals and Households Program and FEMA jointly administer programs so individuals and households may begin to apply for assistance immediately.

Additionally, the Small Business Administration makes it low interest loan programs available to qualifying businesses and private non-profit organizations that have suffered damages.

The Declaration Process

The Stafford Act (§401) requires that: "All requests for a declaration by the President that a major disaster exists shall be made by the Governor of the affected State." A State also includes the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia are also eligible to request a declaration and receive assistance. Visit FEMA’s How a Disaster Gets Declared website for more information.

The Governor's request is made through the regional FEMA office. State and Federal officials conduct a preliminary damage assessment (PDA) to estimate the extent of the disaster and its impact on individuals and public facilities. This information is included in the Governor's request to show that the disaster is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and the local governments and that Federal assistance is necessary. Normally, the PDA is completed prior to the submission of the Governor's request. However, when an obviously severe or catastrophic event occurs, the Governor's request may be submitted prior to the PDA. Nonetheless, the Governor must still make the request.

More information is available on disaster assistance provided for:

Recent Presidentially-declared disasters: 

Declared March 29, 2022

Major DR-4650-WA
Dec. 26, 2021- Jan., 15 2022

Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding

Chehalis Indian Reservation, Chelan (County), Clallam (County), Cowlitz (County), Franklin (County), Grays Harbor (County), Hoh Indian Reservation, Jefferson (County), Klickitat (County), Lewis (County), Mason (County), Nisqually Indian Reservation, Okanogan (County), Pacific (County), Quinault Indian Reservation, Shoalwater Bay Reservation, Skagit (County), Skamania (County), Skokomish Indian Reservation, Squaxin Island Indian Reservation, Swinomish Indian Reservation, Thurston (County), Upper Skagit Indian Reservation, Wahkiakum (County)

Declared Jan. 5, 2022

Major DR-4635
Nov. 13-15, 2021

Flooding and Landslides

Clallam (County), Hoh Indian Reservation, Island (County), Jefferson (County), Lewis (County), Lummi Indian Reservation, Nooksack Indian Reservation, Quileute Indian Reservation, San Juan (County), Skagit (County), Swinomish Indian Reservation, Whatcom (County)

Declared July 21, 2021

Major 4631-DR-Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation
July 12 - Aug.  8, 2021

Wildfire

Colville Indian Reservation

Declared April 4, 2021

Major 4593-DR-WA
Dec. 29 2020 - Jan. 16, 2021

Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

Clallam (County), Columbia (County), Cowlitz (County), Grays Harbor (County), Island (County), Jefferson (County), Klickitat (County), Lewis (County), Mason (County), Okanogan (County), Pacific (County), Pend Oreille (County), Puyallup Indian Reservation, Skagit (County), Skamania (County), Snohomish (County), Spokane (County), Wahkiakum (County)

Declared Feb. 4, 2021

Major 4584-DR-WA
Sept. 1 - Sept. 19, 2020

Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds

Colville Indian Reservation, Douglas (County), Ferry (County), Franklin (County), Kittitas (County), Lincoln (County), Okanogan (County), Pend Oreille (County), Skamania (County), Whitman (County), Yakama Reservation, Yakima (County)

Declared April 23, 2020

Major 4539-DR-WA
Jan 20, 2020 - Feb 10, 2020

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides and Mudslides

Columbia (County), Garfield (County), Grays Harbor (County), Island (County), King (County), Lewis (County), Mason (County), Pacific (County), San Juan (County), Skagit (County), Snohomish (County), Thurston (County), Wahkiakum (County), Walla Walla (County), Whatcom (County)

Declared March 22, 2020

Major DR-4481-WA
Jan. 20 - ongoing
COVID-19
Pandemic

ALL

Declared March 4, 2019

Major DR-4418-WA
Dec. 10, 2018 - Dec. 24, 2018

Severe Winter Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides, Tornado

Clallam, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, Mason, Pacific, Snohomish and Whatcom

Declared Aug. 18, 2017

Major DR-4384-WA
May 5, 2018 - May 28, 2018

Flooding

Colville Indian Reservation

Declared April 21, 2017

Major DR-4309-WA
Jan 30, 2017 - Feb 22, 2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

Adams, Benton, Columbia, Franklin, Grant, Lewis, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Skamania, Spokane, Wahkiakum, Walla Walla, Whatcom

Declared
Feb. 2, 2016
 

Major 4253-DR-WA
Incident period-
Dec. 1-Dec. 14, 2015

Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides and a Tornado

Clallam, Clark, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Skamania and Wahkiakum counties

Declared Jan. 15, 2016

Major 4249-DR-WA
Incident period
Nov. 12-Nov. 21, 2015

Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides and Mudslides

 

Chelan, Clallam, Garfield, Island, Jefferson, Kittitas, Lewis, Lincoln, Mason, Pend Oreille, Skamania, Snohomish, Spokane, Stevens, Wahkiakum and Whitman counties

Declared Oct. 20, 2015

Major 4243-DR-WA
Incident period-
Aug. 9-Sept. 10, 2015
Wildfires and Mudslides

Chelan, Ferry, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Whatcom and Yakima counties and the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation

Declared Oct. 15, 2015

Major 4242-DR-WA
Incident period-
Aug. 29, 2015
Severe Windstorm

Island, Jefferson and Snohomish counties

Declared
Aug. 11, 2014

Major 4188-DR-WA
Incident Period -
July 9-Aug. 6, 2014
Wildfires

Chelan and Okanogan counties and the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation

Declared
April 2, 2014

Major 4168-DR-WA
Incident Period -
March 22-April 28, 2014

Flooding and Mudslides

Sauk-Suiattle Indian Reservation, Snohomish County, Stillaguamish Indian Reservation and Tulalip Indian Reservation

Declared
Sept. 25, 2012

Major 4083-DR-WA
Incident Period -
July 20-21, 2012
Severe Storm, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding

Ferry and Okanogan counties and the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation

Declared
March 5, 2012

Major 4056-DR-WA
Incident Period -
Jan. 14-23, 2012
Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

Clallam County, Grays Harbor County, King County, Klickitat County, Lewis County, Mason County, Pierce County, Skamania County, Snohomish County, Thurston County and Wahkiakum County.

Declared
March 25, 2011

Major 1963-DR-WA
Incident period -
Jan. 11-21, 2011
Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

Klickitat, Kittitas, King, Lewis, Skagit, Skamania, Wahkiakum (PA only)

Declared
March 2, 2009

Major 1825-DR-WA
Incident period
-
Dec. 12, 2008, to Jan. 5, 2009  
Severe Winter Storms, Snow and Near Record Snow Event

Adams, Asotin, Benton, Chelan, Clark, Cowlitz, Columbia, Clallam, Ferry, Garfield, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Lincoln, Mason, Pacific, Pend Orielle, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Skamania, Spokane, Snohomish, Stevens, Thurston, Wahkiakum, Walla Walla, Whatcom, Whitman, Yakima (PA only)

Declared
Jan. 30, 2009

Major 1817-DR-WA
Incident period -
Jan. 6-16, 2009

Severe Winter Storms, Floods, Freezing Rains, High Winds, Landslides, Mudslides Event

Benton, Chelan, Cowlitz, Columbia, Clallam, Garfield, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, King, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Lincoln, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Thurston, Wahkiakum, Whatcom, Yakima

Declared
Dec. 8, 2007

Major 1734-DR-WA
Incident period -
Dec. 1-17, 2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

IA:  Clallam, Grays Harbor, Kitsap, King, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Thurston, Snohomish, Wahkiakum

PA:  Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Kitsap, King, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Thurston, Skagit, Snohomish, Wahkiakum

Declared
Feb. 14, 2007

Major 1682-DR-WA
Incident period -
Dec. 14-15, 2006
Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, and Mudslides

Chelan, Clallam, Clark, Grant, Grays Harbor, Island, King, Klickitat, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pend Oreille, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Thurston, Wahkiakum (PA Only)

Declared
Dec. 12, 2006

Major 1671-DR-WA
Incident period -
Nov. 2-11, 2006
Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

Chelan, Clark, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, King, Lewis, Pacific, Pierce, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Thurston, Wahkiakum

Declared
May 17, 2006

Major 1641-DR-WA
Incident period
-
Jan. 27- Feb. 4, 2006
Severe Storms, Flooding, Tidal Surge, Landslides, and Mudslides

Clallam, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason, Pacific, Pend Oreille, San Juan, Snohomish, Wahkiakum (PA Only)