Wasatch County, UT Environment & Hazard Risk

• LandslideRelatively Moderate$240K/yr expected annual loss, about 1.0 events a year
• WildfireRelatively Moderate$4.4M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 226 years
• AvalancheRelatively High$3.3M/yr expected annual loss, about 1.2 events a year
• Winter weatherRelatively High$751K/yr expected annual loss, about 48 events a year
• LightningRelatively Moderate$769K/yr expected annual loss, about 46 events a year
• EarthquakeVery Low$667K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 142 years
• Volcanic activityVery Low$8/yr expected annual loss, about once every 10,000 years
• Strong windRelatively Low$429K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 1 year
• DroughtVery Low$17K/yr expected annual loss, about 59 events a year
• Heat waveVery Low$70.3K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 16 years
• TornadoVery Low$139K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 16 years
• Ice stormVery Low$8,217/yr expected annual loss, about once every 67 years
• Cold waveVery Low$59.1K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 34 years
• HailVery Low$22K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 4 years

Bars show the national percentile score (0 to 100) for each hazard. Dollar figures are expected annual losses to buildings, people and crops. Not rated here: coastal flooding, hurricane, riverine flooding, tsunami.

Check the flood zone for an address

Homes with flood insurance

101 of 14,006 (0.7%)

Homes in high-risk flood zones

101

Insured in high-risk zones

41 (41%)

Flood claims since 1978

12

Claims paid since 1978

$39.5K

• Heavy Snow97 · 1 death
• Thunderstorm Wind31 · 1 death
• Avalanche22 · 12 deaths
• Winter Storm20
• High Wind14
• Hail7
• Winter Weather3 · 1 death
• Lightning2 · 1 death
• Flash Flood2
• Flood1

• Avalanche05/09/2024

  Wasatch Mountains South of I-80

  2 deaths, 1 injured

  What happened

  A group of three backcountry skiers set out early in the morning to ski in the Big Willow Aprons area near Lone Peak. After skiing for several hours without issue, an unintentionally triggered soft slab avalanche occurred on the north aspect of the slope (approximately 40 degree angle) around 10,600 feet elevation. The avalanche was approximately 18 inches deep, 150 feet wide, and had a vertical run of 800 feet. All three skiers were caught by the avalanche. One skier was partially buried and was able to self-extricate. After self-extricating, the skier attempted to find the transceiver signal of the buried skiers. Approximately 13 minutes after the avalanche, the skier successfully probed one of the buried skiers and uncovered them, but they were ultimately unresponsive when rescue breaths were attempted. In the subsequent minutes, the second buried skier was probed and uncovered, but also found to be unresponsive to any resuscitation attempts. Around 1-1.5 hours after the avalanche, a helicopter ambulance was able to hoist the injured skier out, and this skier was subsequently taken to the hospital and released later in the day. Due to unfavorable weather, search and rescue...

• Winter Weather10/29/2024

  Wasatch Plateau/Book Cliffs

  1 death, 2 injured, $150K damage

  What happened

  A pickup truck collided head-on with a semitrailer after the driver of the pickup truck lost control on state Route 96. Archived liquid precipitation measurements suggest around 0.2-0.5 had fallen in the area by that point, with National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center data indicating a snow depth of 2-4 inches at the time of the crash.

• Heavy Snow12/27/2022

  Wasatch Plateau/Book Cliffs

  1 death, 2 injured, $40K damage

  What happened

  Media reports indicated a fatal head-on crash in snow occurred around 10:50 a.m. Road conditions from the nearest road weather sensor (US-40 @ Daniels Summit) indicated wind gusts peaked at 28 mph at 10 a.m. Road grip was decreased from 9:45 a.m. through the remainder of the morning, and was at it's lowest at 10:25 a.m. Visibility dropped below 1 mile around 9:45 a.m., and remained below 1 mile the remainder of the morning.

• Avalanche02/21/2026

  Wasatch Mountains South of I-80

  1 death, 2 injured

  What happened

  Two skiers left the Butler Fork trailhead in Big Cottonwood Canyon Saturday morning 2/21 with the plan to do a run known as The Triangle. This is in Butler Basin, a Big Cottonwood Canyon drainage east of Gobblers Knob. The skiers ascended a steep north-facing slope next to the desired run, when near the top an avalanche broke. Both skiers were caught and carried around 100 feet down the slope, becoming fully buried at the bottom. Other groups of skiers in the basin witnessed the avalanche occur, and notified 911, Alta Central, and began rescue efforts. Around 10 minutes after the avalanche, one of the bystanders made their way to the debris, conducted a beacon search, and eventually found a splitboard binding still attached. Additional bystanders arrived and helped uncover the first victim, cleared their airway, allowing them to breathe and gain consciousness. The victim had suffered a leg injury, but was moved to a safer location. Around this time others began transceiver searching for the other victim, eventually exposing the boot. The skier was buried around 150 cm and face down. The second victim was unburied and CPR efforts were initiated. An EMT was longlined to assist...

• Thunderstorm Wind03/27/2001

  Heber City, Wasatch County

  1 death, 1 injured, $1,000 damage

  What happened

  Two men were canoeing on Jordanelle Reservoir when thunderstorm outflow winds estimated at 45mph (39kts) capsized the canoe. The men were thrown into the 34 degree water about 25 feet from shore, but they were pushed out further by the wind as they hung onto the canoe. They both became hypothermic, and the 27-year-old man let go of the canoe and drowned. The other man was rescued and sent to the hospital, where he recovered.

• Avalanche02/08/2025

  Wasatch Mountains South of I-80

  1 death, 1 injured

  What happened

  A skier and a guide were caught in an avalanche in the East Bowl of upper Silver Fork. The skier triggered the avalanche above the guide who was skiing below. Both were carried by the avalanche. The skier was badly injured, with a broken leg, but survived. The guide had traumatic injuries and died.

• Heber City Water SystemServes 19,000 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+4 monitoring or reporting
• Midway City Water SystemServes 7,055 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
• Twin Creeks SsdServes 4,640 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
• Jordanelle SsdServes 2,345 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
• Timber Lakes Water SsdServes 1,560 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations
• Hideout Town Water SystemServes 1,429 · Purchased surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
• North Village SsdServes 1,280 · Purchased surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
• Daniel Municipal WaterServes 590 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+52 monitoring or reporting