Disaster Data / States / Florida / Highlands County
CountyHighlands County, Florida
Highlands County recorded 29 federal disaster and emergency declarations since FY2000 (through FY2025): 16 major disasters, 11 emergencies, and 2 fire-management declarations. Its most common hazard is hurricane.
The federal disaster record for Highlands County runs between 1999 and 2024, covering 29 declarations in all. Its most recent major disaster declaration was Hurricane Milton in 2024. The hazards behind these declarations were most often hurricane, severe storm, and tropical storm. Since 2000, FEMA has obligated about $38.2 million in Public Assistance funding to the jurisdiction, most of it for debris removal.
Highlighted: Highlands County, FL
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Debris removal(A) | 113 | $27,922,819 |
| Emergency protective measures(B) | 155 | $3,703,420 |
| Buildings and equipment(E) | 202 | $2,928,681 |
| Roads and bridges(C) | 35 | $1,974,048 |
| Parks and recreation(G) | 41 | $898,124 |
| Management costs(Z) | 10 | $396,942 |
| Utilities(F) | 21 | $267,121 |
| Water control facilities(D) | 3 | $71,282 |
| All categories | 580 | $38,162,437 |
Most common hazards
- Hurricane 17
- Severe Storm 3
- Tropical Storm 3
- Biological 2
- Fire 2
- Freezing 1
- Coastal Storm 1
Previous occurrences, for your mitigation plan
Every local hazard mitigation plan must document previous occurrences of each hazard. Here is that record for Highlands County, sourced to OpenFEMA and refreshed weekly. Copy it straight into your plan.
| Hazard | Date | FEMA declaration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Oct 11, 2024 | DR-4834-FL | DR |
| Hurricane | Oct 7, 2024 | EM-3622-FL | EM |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 10, 2024 | DR-4806-FL | DR |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 3, 2024 | EM-3605-FL | EM |
| Hurricane | Dec 13, 2022 | DR-4680-FL | DR |
| Tropical Storm | Nov 8, 2022 | EM-3587-FL | EM |
| Hurricane | Sep 29, 2022 | DR-4673-FL | DR |
| Hurricane | Sep 24, 2022 | EM-3584-FL | EM |
| Biological | Mar 25, 2020 | DR-4486-FL | DR |
| Biological | Mar 13, 2020 | EM-3432-FL | EM |
| Hurricane | Aug 30, 2019 | EM-3419-FL | EM |
| Hurricane | Sep 10, 2017 | DR-4337-FL | DR |
| Hurricane | Sep 5, 2017 | EM-3385-FL | EM |
| Hurricane | Oct 6, 2016 | EM-3377-FL | EM |
| Severe Storm | Jul 3, 2012 | DR-4068-FL | DR |
| Severe Storm | Aug 24, 2008 | DR-1785-FL | DR |
| Severe Storm | Aug 21, 2008 | EM-3288-FL | EM |
| Fire | Jun 27, 2007 | FM-2696-FL | FM |
| Hurricane | Oct 24, 2005 | DR-1609-FL | DR |
| Hurricane | Sep 5, 2005 | EM-3220-FL | EM |
| Hurricane | Sep 26, 2004 | DR-1561-FL | DR |
| Hurricane | Sep 16, 2004 | DR-1551-FL | DR |
| Hurricane | Sep 4, 2004 | DR-1545-FL | DR |
| Hurricane | Aug 13, 2004 | DR-1539-FL | DR |
| Coastal Storm | Sep 28, 2001 | DR-1393-FL | DR |
| Fire | Feb 19, 2001 | FM-2354-FL | FM |
| Freezing | Feb 5, 2001 | DR-1359-FL | DR |
| Hurricane | Oct 20, 1999 | DR-1306-FL | DR |
| Hurricane | Oct 15, 1999 | EM-3150-FL | EM |
Every declaration on record
DR = Major disaster (Stafford Act) · EM = Emergency declaration · FM = Fire management assistance
Showing 29 declarations
| Date | Number | Type | Hazard | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 11, 2024 | DR-4834-FL | DR | Hurricane | Hurricane Milton |
| Oct 7, 2024 | EM-3622-FL | EM | Hurricane | Hurricane Milton |
| Aug 10, 2024 | DR-4806-FL | DR | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Debby |
| Aug 3, 2024 | EM-3605-FL | EM | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| Dec 13, 2022 | DR-4680-FL | DR | Hurricane | Hurricane Nicole |
| Nov 8, 2022 | EM-3587-FL | EM | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Nicole |
| Sep 29, 2022 | DR-4673-FL | DR | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| Sep 24, 2022 | EM-3584-FL | EM | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Ian |
| Mar 25, 2020 | DR-4486-FL | DR | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| Mar 13, 2020 | EM-3432-FL | EM | Biological | Covid-19 |
| Aug 30, 2019 | EM-3419-FL | EM | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| Sep 10, 2017 | DR-4337-FL | DR | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| Sep 5, 2017 | EM-3385-FL | EM | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| Oct 6, 2016 | EM-3377-FL | EM | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
| Jul 3, 2012 | DR-4068-FL | DR | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| Aug 24, 2008 | DR-1785-FL | DR | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Fay |
| Aug 21, 2008 | EM-3288-FL | EM | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Fay |
| Jun 27, 2007 | FM-2696-FL | FM | Fire | Okeechobee Fire Complex |
| Oct 24, 2005 | DR-1609-FL | DR | Hurricane | Hurricane Wilma |
| Sep 5, 2005 | EM-3220-FL | EM | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| Sep 26, 2004 | DR-1561-FL | DR | Hurricane | Hurricane Jeanne |
| Sep 16, 2004 | DR-1551-FL | DR | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan |
| Sep 4, 2004 | DR-1545-FL | DR | Hurricane | Hurricane Frances |
| Aug 13, 2004 | DR-1539-FL | DR | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Bonnie And Hurricane Charley |
| Sep 28, 2001 | DR-1393-FL | DR | Coastal Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding Associated With Tropical Storm Gabrielle |
| Feb 19, 2001 | FM-2354-FL | FM | Fire | Fl - Okeechobee Complex Fire |
| Feb 5, 2001 | DR-1359-FL | DR | Freezing | Severe Freeze |
| Oct 20, 1999 | DR-1306-FL | DR | Hurricane | Fl-Hurricane Irene-Dr-Req |
| Oct 15, 1999 | EM-3150-FL | EM | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Irene - Florida |
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 Florida'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.