Aleutians West Census Area, AK: home risks and climate
FEMA’s National Risk Index rates Aleutians West Census Area “Relatively Low” for overall risk relative to other US counties, 5th of 30 counties in Alaska by risk score. The hazards rated Relatively High or Very High here are volcanic activity. These are relative ratings, not probabilities.
Aleutians West Census Area, AK
- Know if you are in a lahar or ashfall zone.
- Keep N95 masks and goggles for ash.
- Have a plan to protect the HVAC system from ash.
- Watch for new cracks in the ground, tilting trees or fences, and doors that stick.
- Keep gutters and drains directing water away from slopes.
- Know the signs of a debris flow during heavy rain.
- Find out whether your home is in a tsunami hazard zone.
- Know the walking route to high ground.
- Strong shaking near the coast means move to high ground now.
- Know whether your home or access road crosses avalanche paths.
- Follow local avalanche center forecasts in winter.
- Keep supplies for being snowed in for several days.
- Strap the water heater to the wall with two straps.
- Secure tall furniture and TVs to studs.
- Know how to shut off gas at the meter, and only do it if you smell gas.
- Pick the safe room: lowest floor, interior, no windows. Tell everyone in the house.
- Keep shoes, a flashlight and a helmet for each person there.
- Turn on wireless emergency alerts on every phone.
- Use surge protection for electronics; ask an electrician about a whole-home surge protector.
- Keep trees near the house healthy and trimmed.
- Unplug sensitive electronics before a storm if you can.
- Know where the main water shutoff is and that it turns.
- Insulate pipes in unheated crawlspaces, garages and exterior walls.
- Have the heating system checked before winter.
- Clean gutters so melting snow drains instead of forming ice dams.
- Check attic insulation and air sealing; warm attics cause ice dams.
- Keep a snow shovel, ice melt and a backup heat plan.
- Trim limbs that could fall on the house or the service drop.
- Plan for a multi-day power outage: heat, water, phone charging.
- If you own a generator, know how to run it outdoors safely.
No NOAA freeze statistics near this county.
Radon Zone 3: lowest predicted indoor radon. EPA recommends testing every home, whatever the zone.
- This monthPress the test button on every smoke and CO alarm.
- This monthCheck the date on the back of every smoke and CO alarm.
- This monthLook under every sink and around toilets and the water heater for drips.
- This monthClean gutters and downspouts after the leaves are down.
- This monthGet winter gear ready: roof rake, shovel, ice melt and a backup heat plan.
- WatchLook in the attic with a flashlight after the first big storm of the season.
What the records say
Plain-language summary of the numbers below, compared with Alaska and the US.
By FEMA’s hazard scores (0 to 100, the share of US counties scoring lower), volcanic activity scores 98.7, tsunami scores 87.7 and landslide scores 87.5 in Aleutians West Census Area, and modeled expected annual losses from all hazards come to about $29.3 million a year across 5,168 residents.
There have been 6 federal disaster declarations covering Aleutians West Census Area in the OpenFEMA record, above the Alaska county median of 4 and below the national county median of 20; 4 came in the last ten years. The most recent was severe storms, flooding, and remnants of typhoon halong (2025-10-22).
Aleutians West Census Area sits in climate zone 7 (very cold) in the very cold Building America region and EPA radon zone 3.
All 18 hazards
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025. Ratings and scores are relative to other US counties, not probabilities. Expected annual loss is FEMA’s modeled average across buildings, people and agriculture.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Expected annual loss | Recorded events | Prepare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volcanic activity | Relatively High | 98.7 | $3.2M | 30 | Checklist |
| Tsunami | Relatively Moderate | 87.7 | $19.9M | 76 | Checklist |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 87.5 | $46,578 | — | Checklist |
| Avalanche | Relatively Moderate | 80.1 | $456,667 | 1 | Checklist |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 89.7 | $5.6M | — | Checklist |
| Winter weather | Very Low | 17.9 | $17,313 | 18 | Checklist |
| Ice storm | Very Low | 4.5 | $2,088 | 0 | Checklist |
| Cold wave | Very Low | 3.1 | $395 | 0 | Checklist |
| Tornado | Very Low | 0.6 | $1 | 0 | Checklist |
| Lightning | Very Low | 0.0 | $24 | 1,326 | Checklist |
| Inland flooding | No Rating | 0.0 | $0 | 0 | Checklist |
| Coastal flooding | No Rating | 0.0 | $0 | — | Checklist |
| Strong wind | No Rating | 0.0 | $0 | 0 | Checklist |
| Hail | No Rating | 0.0 | $0 | 0 | Checklist |
| Wildfire | No Rating | 0.0 | $0 | — | Checklist |
| Drought | No Rating | 0.0 | $0 | 0 | Checklist |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | — | — | Checklist |
| Heat wave | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | Checklist |
Federal disaster declarations
Each county-level declaration in OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, counted once per disaster number.
| Declared | Event | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-10-22 | Severe storms, flooding, and remnants of Typhoon Halong | DR · Flood |
| 2022-09-23 | Severe storm, flooding, and landslides | DR · Severe Storm |
| 2020-04-09 | COVID-19 pandemic | DR · Biological |
| 2020-03-13 | COVID-19 | EM · Biological |
| 2016-02-17 | Severe storm | DR · Severe Storm |
| 2004-11-15 | Severe winter storm, tidal surges and flooding | DR · Severe Storm |
Flood-insurance claims (NFIP)
Claims filed under the National Flood Insurance Program, from FEMA’s NfipClaims v3 dataset (all years on file), by year of loss.
Climate, radon and freeze
This month’s plan for Aleutians West Census Area
Region tasks plus this county’s hazard ratings and freeze dates. Add your ZIP and systems on the Home Plan page to subscribe in your calendar.
November7 tasks
- This monthPress the test button on every smoke and CO alarm.
An alarm you have not heard in months may have a dead battery or sensor. NFPA recommends testing smoke alarms at least once a month.
How
Hold the test button until it sounds. Anything silent or chirping: replace the battery, or the whole alarm if it is past its date.
- This monthCheck the date on the back of every smoke and CO alarm.
Smoke alarms wear out: NFPA advises replacing them 10 years after the manufacture date. CO alarms have their own end-of-life date printed on them.
How
Twist each alarm off its base and read the date. Replace any past its life; swap batteries in alarms that take them.
- This monthLook under every sink and around toilets and the water heater for drips.
Slow leaks rot cabinets and subfloors long before they show. Catching one early is a washer, not a floor.
How
Use a flashlight: feel supply lines and the shutoff valves, look for stains, warped cabinet floors or a toilet that rocks.
- This monthClean gutters and downspouts after the leaves are down.
Blocked gutters overflow at the foundation, rot fascia and, in cold climates, help ice dams form.
How
From a stable ladder (with a helper), scoop debris, then flush each downspout with a hose. Extensions should drop water 4 to 6 feet from the house.
- This monthGet winter gear ready: roof rake, shovel, ice melt and a backup heat plan.
The first storm empties hardware-store shelves.
How
Choose ice melt rated for your walkway material, and plan a safe backup heat source in case of a long outage.
- WatchLook in the attic with a flashlight after the first big storm of the season.
Stains on the roof deck, wet insulation or daylight around vents show leaks early, and droppings show pests.
How
Stay on the joists. Look around chimneys, vent pipes and valleys, the places most leaks start.
- WatchStock a power-outage kit: flashlights, batteries, water, a battery radio.
Winter storms bring multi-day outages.
How
Keep it in one bin. Add a phone power bank and a list of medicines that need power or refrigeration.
December3 tasks
- This monthPress the test button on every smoke and CO alarm.
An alarm you have not heard in months may have a dead battery or sensor. NFPA recommends testing smoke alarms at least once a month.
How
Hold the test button until it sounds. Anything silent or chirping: replace the battery, or the whole alarm if it is past its date.
- This monthKeep the furnace and water-heater intake and exhaust vents clear of snow.
High-efficiency appliances vent through plastic pipes on the side wall. If drifting snow blocks them the appliance shuts down, or exhaust can back up.
How
After each storm, clear the pipes and a foot around them. Keep CO alarms working on every level.
- WatchDegrease the range-hood filter.
Grease-clogged hood filters stop pulling smoke and grease out of the kitchen and can feed a stovetop fire.
How
Pop the metal filter out and soak it in hot water with dish soap and baking soda, or run it through the dishwasher if the maker allows.
Neighbouring counties
Information, not insurance, legal or engineering advice. Ratings describe the county as a whole; your address can differ. Found an error? Send a correction.