Natural Disaster Risk in Oak Harbor

Natural Hazard Profile: Oak Harbor, Washington

Oak Harbor, in Island County, is a city of approximately 40,917 residents situated in the Pacific Northwest. Its oceanic climate brings mild, rainy winters west of the Cascades and semi-arid conditions to the east, and in particular a critical wildfire period in eastern Washington each summer. These conditions collectively define the natural hazard environment that Oak Harbor residents and property owners must navigate.

Oak Harbor's overall natural disaster risk is rated 5.7/10 (Moderate) by FEMA's National Risk Index. The area faces significant landslide risk, where mountainous topography and saturated soils during wet periods combine to create hazardous mass movement conditions. Secondary hazards include tsunami and volcano.

Within Washington, Oak Harbor's risk is, near the 5.8/10 state average. Nationally, it ranks above the U.S. national average of 4.5/10. FEMA's analysis of Island County identifies landslide as the foremost hazard, followed by tsunami and volcano. These rankings reflect the relative frequency and severity of each hazard type in the local environment.

With a moderate risk rating, Oak Harbor residents are well-served by maintaining standard preparedness practices — an emergency supply kit, awareness of local hazard seasonality, and insurance that covers the top local risks. Periodic review of coverage for landslide is recommended.