Disaster Data / States / California / Kern County
CountyKern County, California
Kern County recorded 28 federal disaster and emergency declarations since FY2000 (through FY2025): 8 major disasters, 5 emergencies, and 15 fire-management declarations. Its most common hazard is fire.
The federal disaster record for Kern County runs between 2002 and 2024, covering 28 declarations in all. Its most recent major disaster declaration was Tropical Storm Hilary in 2023. The hazards behind these declarations were most often fire, severe storm, and flood. Since 2000, FEMA has obligated about $155.7 million in Public Assistance funding to the jurisdiction, most of it for emergency protective measures.
Highlighted: Kern County, CA
Federal Public Assistance by category
Federal share obligated to this jurisdiction under FEMA Public Assistance since 2000, grouped by damage category. Figures are rounded to the nearest dollar and reflect obligations, which may change as projects close out.
| Category | Projects | Federal share obligated |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency protective measures(B) | 132 | $141,301,293 |
| Water control facilities(D) | 44 | $5,244,678 |
| Roads and bridges(C) | 49 | $2,880,453 |
| Management costs(Z) | 18 | $2,532,896 |
| Debris removal(A) | 23 | $2,231,974 |
| Buildings and equipment(E) | 16 | $860,200 |
| Parks and recreation(G) | 25 | $593,422 |
| Utilities(F) | 2 | $82,527 |
| All categories | 309 | $155,727,443 |
Most common hazards
- Fire 16
- Severe Storm 3
- Flood 3
- Biological 2
- Hurricane 2
- Freezing 1
- Earthquake 1
Previous occurrences, for your mitigation plan
Every local hazard mitigation plan must document previous occurrences of each hazard. Here is that record for Kern County, sourced to OpenFEMA and refreshed weekly. Copy it straight into your plan.
| Hazard | Date | FEMA declaration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fire | Jul 27, 2024 | FM-5522-CA | FM |
| Hurricane | Nov 21, 2023 | DR-4750-CA | DR |
| Severe Storm | Apr 3, 2023 | DR-4699-CA | DR |
| Flood | Mar 10, 2023 | EM-3592-CA | EM |
| Fire | Aug 25, 2021 | FM-5416-CA | FM |
| Biological | Mar 22, 2020 | DR-4482-CA | DR |
| Biological | Mar 13, 2020 | EM-3428-CA | EM |
| Earthquake | Jul 8, 2019 | EM-3415-CA | EM |
| Flood | Mar 16, 2017 | DR-4305-CA | DR |
| Fire | Aug 22, 2016 | FM-5150-CA | FM |
| Fire | Jun 24, 2016 | FM-5131-CA | FM |
| Fire | Aug 19, 2014 | FM-5075-CA | FM |
| Fire | Sep 11, 2011 | FM-2970-CA | FM |
| Fire | Sep 11, 2011 | FM-2971-CA | FM |
| Fire | Sep 5, 2011 | FM-2961-CA | FM |
| Flood | Jan 26, 2011 | DR-1952-CA | DR |
| Fire | Sep 15, 2010 | FM-2858-CA | FM |
| Fire | Aug 24, 2010 | FM-2852-CA | FM |
| Fire | Jul 28, 2010 | FM-2850-CA | FM |
| Fire | Jul 27, 2010 | FM-2849-CA | FM |
| Fire | Jun 28, 2008 | EM-3287-CA | EM |
| Freezing | Mar 13, 2007 | DR-1689-CA | DR |
| Hurricane | Sep 13, 2005 | EM-3248-CA | EM |
| Severe Storm | Apr 14, 2005 | DR-1585-CA | DR |
| Severe Storm | Feb 4, 2005 | DR-1577-CA | DR |
| Fire | Jun 29, 2003 | FM-2474-CA | FM |
| Fire | Jun 28, 2003 | FM-2473-CA | FM |
| Fire | Jul 22, 2002 | FM-2450-CA | FM |
Every declaration on record
DR = Major disaster (Stafford Act) · EM = Emergency declaration · FM = Fire management assistance
Showing 28 declarations
| Date | Number | Type | Hazard | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 27, 2024 | FM-5522-CA | FM | Fire | Borel Fire |
| Nov 21, 2023 | DR-4750-CA | DR | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Hilary |
| Apr 3, 2023 | DR-4699-CA | DR | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| Mar 10, 2023 | EM-3592-CA | EM | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| Aug 25, 2021 | FM-5416-CA | FM | Fire | French Fire |
| Mar 22, 2020 | DR-4482-CA | DR | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| Mar 13, 2020 | EM-3428-CA | EM | Biological | Covid-19 |
| Jul 8, 2019 | EM-3415-CA | EM | Earthquake | Earthquakes |
| Mar 16, 2017 | DR-4305-CA | DR | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| Aug 22, 2016 | FM-5150-CA | FM | Fire | Cedar Fire |
| Jun 24, 2016 | FM-5131-CA | FM | Fire | Erskine Fire |
| Aug 19, 2014 | FM-5075-CA | FM | Fire | Way Fire |
| Sep 11, 2011 | FM-2970-CA | FM | Fire | Keene Fire Complex |
| Sep 11, 2011 | FM-2971-CA | FM | Fire | Comanche Fire Complex |
| Sep 5, 2011 | FM-2961-CA | FM | Fire | Canyon Fire |
| Jan 26, 2011 | DR-1952-CA | DR | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Debris And Mud Flows |
| Sep 15, 2010 | FM-2858-CA | FM | Fire | Canyon Fire |
| Aug 24, 2010 | FM-2852-CA | FM | Fire | Post Fire |
| Jul 28, 2010 | FM-2850-CA | FM | Fire | West Fire |
| Jul 27, 2010 | FM-2849-CA | FM | Fire | Bull Fire |
| Jun 28, 2008 | EM-3287-CA | EM | Fire | Wildfires |
| Mar 13, 2007 | DR-1689-CA | DR | Freezing | Severe Freeze |
| Sep 13, 2005 | EM-3248-CA | EM | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| Apr 14, 2005 | DR-1585-CA | DR | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mud And Debris Flows |
| Feb 4, 2005 | DR-1577-CA | DR | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, And Mudslides |
| Jun 29, 2003 | FM-2474-CA | FM | Fire | Ca - Tejon Fire - 06-30-2003 |
| Jun 28, 2003 | FM-2473-CA | FM | Fire | Ca - Sawmill Fire - 06-27-2003 |
| Jul 22, 2002 | FM-2450-CA | FM | Fire | Deer Fire |
How these numbers are built
Drawn from FEMA's OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, rebuilt each week. A declaration is counted here once for each designated area it names, so a single disaster covering many localities is counted in each one. For that reason these jurisdiction counts do not sum to California's statewide total. This page counts declarations that named this jurisdiction as a designated area. Totals cover complete fiscal years (Oct 1 to Sep 30); the in-progress year may appear in the most-recent list but is not counted in the totals. Uses OpenFEMA data but is not endorsed by or affiliated with FEMA.