Bonneville County
Population 135,771 (2025) 1,866 sq mi
Large wildfires have burned 97,905 acres of Bonneville County since 1984, 29th most of 44 counties in Idaho; the largest was the Henrys Creek Fire in 2016.
Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed
- Tornado damage paths since 19506
- Wildfire burn scars since 198421
At a glance
The record for Bonneville County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Acres burned since 1984
97,905
29th of 44 in Idaho
21 large fires; the largest was Henrys Creek, 2016
DetailsStrongest tornado
F2
April 7, 1978, 1.5 mile path
Tornadoes
About one every 13 years since 1950, none rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
April 7, 1978
F2, 1.5 mile path
73 yards wide.
Most recent
Friday, November 17, 2017
EF0, 5.0 mile path
9 years ago.
Every recorded tornado
| Nov 17, 2017 | EF0 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 14, 2000 | F1 | 12.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 8, 1995 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 24, 1989 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 21, 1981 | F1 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 7, 1978 | F2 | 1.5 | 1 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Bonneville County: 0.
- Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.
Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
No tropical storm or hurricane has tracked within 100 miles since records began in 1851.
Wildfire and smoke
97,905 acres burned in 21 large fires since 1984, equal to 8.2% of the land.
Largest
August 21, 2016
Henrys Creek Fire, 52,960 acres
52,831 acres inside Bonneville County.
Most recent
September 4, 2024
Commissary Fire
3,995 acres in total.
Every large fire
| Commissary | 2024 | 3,979 | 3,995 |
| Telegraph | 2020 | 1,358 | 2,112 |
| Tie | 2016 | 1,000 | 1,083 |
| Henrys Creek | 2016 | 52,831 | 52,960 |
| Blackhawk | 2014 | 1,304 | 1,303 |
| Blacktail | 2010 | 1,717 | 1,715 |
| Meadow Creek | 2008 | 1,068 | 1,067 |
| Bear Wfu | 2007 | 2,584 | 2,584 |
| Black Hawk | 2007 | 6,407 | 6,404 |
| Big Dry Canyon Complex Wfu (Big Dry Canyon) | 2005 | 1,618 | 1,619 |
| Ineel | 2003 | 2,534 | 2,776 |
| Kettle Butte Dairy | 2000 | 995 | 5,127 |
| Blacktail | 2000 | 2,510 | 2,506 |
| Tilden 2 | 1998 | 2,778 | 23,176 |
| Meadow Creek | 1996 | 1,242 | 1,242 |
| Lake | 1994 | 1,431 | 1,434 |
| Kettle Butte | 1994 | 187 | 2,686 |
| Trail Creek | 1988 | 7,933 | 7,954 |
| Spring Canyon Ii | 1988 | 1,749 | 1,747 |
| Spring Canyon | 1987 | 1,513 | 1,509 |
| St. Marys | 1986 | 1,157 | 2,284 |
- Large fires mapped by the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity program since 1984: 1,000 acres or more in the West, 500 or more in the East. Prescribed burns are excluded. Acres here are the part of each perimeter inside this place.
Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (USGS and U.S. Forest Service), 1984 to 2026.
Smoke overhead
Smokiest year
2021: 64 days
Heavy smoke on 32 days in 2021, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
21.0 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
7 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 20 so far in 2026.
- A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.
NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Floods and flood insurance
17 federal flood insurance claims since 1979, with $40,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 83404 | 7 | $1,540 |
| 83402 | 5 | $36,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flood20
- Heavy Rain8
- Flash Flood6
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.
River crests
Most severe crest
June 13, 1997
Snake River near Heise, 11.26 ft
3.26 feet above the 8.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.
Most recent moderate or major crest
June 13, 1997
Snake River near Heise, 11.26 ft
Major flooding.
River gauges
| Snake River near Heise | 8.0 | 11.26 ft | 1 |
| Snake River near Idaho Falls | 13.2 | 18.91 ft | 0 |
| Willow Creek (Eastern ID) below Ririe Dam near Ririe | 12.1 | 14.07 ft | 0 |
- Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.
NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 217 of 1,581 months since 1895 (14%); the longest spell lasted 24 months.
217
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
97
Months in extreme drought
14%
Share of all months, severe or worse
2
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
August 1934
−7.57, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
24 months
November 1898 to October 1900.
Latest month
September 2026
−2.21, moderate drought
Last severe month: September 2025.
- The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.
NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.
Earthquakes, volcanoes and landslides
104 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 5.8 in 1994.
32
Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973
749
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
104
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
6
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
February 3, 1994
4 km SSE of Auburn, Wyoming; 18.1 miles away, 4.9 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
July 22, 2026
Magnitude 3.2
6 km WSW of Bennington, Idaho; 46.6 miles away.
Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
- Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the county boundary (or inside the county).
- Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Volcanoes within 100 miles
| Hells Half Acre lava field | Inside | Low |
| Craters of the Moon Volcanic Field | 49.2 | Low |
| Wapi Lava Field | 51.6 | Low |
| Yellowstone | 75.7 | High |
| Black Butte Crater lava field | 93.6 | Low |
- U.S. volcanoes within 100 miles, from the USGS Volcano Hazards Program. The threat category is the USGS 2018 National Volcanic Threat Assessment, which ranks volcanoes by how hazardous their past eruptions were and how many people and how much infrastructure lie near them. It is not a forecast of eruption.
USGS Volcano Hazards Program, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Mapped landslides
166
Landslides mapped, probable or better
41
With a recorded date
3
Source inventories
Mapped by ID GS (164), NASA (1), USGS Conterminous (1).
- Landslides mapped in the USGS compilation of landslide inventories across the United States (version 3.0, 2025), rated probable or better. The compilation joins inventories made by federal and state agencies for different purposes and areas, so the number mapped in a county reflects how closely it has been surveyed as much as how often its slopes fail. An area with few records may simply not have been mapped. Deaths are as recorded in the inventories; a slide listed in two inventories is counted once.
USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0, retrieved October 27, 2026.
Severe weather and other events
780 events in the National Weather Service record, 751 of them since 1996.
28
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
2
Hail, 2 inches or larger
125
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
284
Winter weather events since 1996
8
Heat events since 1996
33
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
September 13, 2001
2.75 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
September 11, 1956
78 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 8 | 0 |
| Dust storms and dust devils | 26 | 0 |
| Dense fog and smoke | 2 | 0 |
| Avalanches | 6 | 5 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Apr 7, 2018Hail$29.8 million
National Weather Service narrative
At least 28 reports of 1 to 2 inch hail were reported in the Ammon and Idaho Falls area and extensive damage was reported to residential and business structures. Extensive automobile damage was reported as well. Emergency management and insurance company reports estimated the damage from the large hail at $29,750,000. Approximately 2,600 structures and 1,800 vehicles sustained damage from the hail storm.
- Apr 23, 2002High Wind, Upper Snake River Plain$3.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
One week after a heavy snowstorm, the same area in southeastern Idaho was hit by a windstorm. The passage of a strong cold front created the winds on April 23rd. Sustained winds on the 23rd were between 40 and 50 mph with gusts reaching 60 to 70 mph throughout the afternoon covering the entire Snake River Plain from Minidoka northeast through Pocatello, Craters of the Moon, Blackfoot, Idaho Falls to Rexburg. The winds also did damage in the Upper Snake Highlands as well. 10,000 residents lost power in Blackfoot, Pocatello, and Chubbuck. The winds created poor visibility and blowing dust and closed roads. Interstate 15 was closed from Idaho Falls to Roberts. US Highway 20 was…
- May 23, 2023Flash Flood$800,000
National Weather Service narrative
One to 3 inches of rain fell in two hours in the Idaho Falls area resulting in extreme street flooding in downtown Idaho Falls with underpasses with several feet of water and cars submerged in water. This occurred at the 17th Street underpass. Multiple homes with severe flooding and inches of water in their basements. Extreme damage to dozens of homes. Flooding in Idaho Falls City Hall and the Mountain America Events Center during a high school graduation ceremony. Several homes in the 30 to 80 thousand dollar damage amount from their home flooding.
- Jul 2, 2022Lightning$800,000
National Weather Service narrative
A 2 story 5,000 square foot residence was struck by lightning causing a large fire. It occurred 2 miles northeast of Iona along E. Panorama Dr. A firefighter was injured in the fire. An estimated 800,000 dollars worth of damage occurred to the home.
- Oct 14, 2017Heavy Snow, Upper Snake River Plain$625,000
National Weather Service narrative
An early season snowfall of wet heavy snow dropped widespread reports of 6 to 8 inches of snow in Idaho Falls. Power lines, trees and tree limbs were downed due to the heavy and wet nature of the snow. Over 15,400 customers were reported without power by Idaho Falls Power by 9 am on the 14th. Several auto accidents reported. Three trees fell on cars and one tree fell on a mobile home with another through a residential window.
- Sep 7, 2020High Wind, Arco-Mud Lake Desert$300,000
National Weather Service narrative
A powerful cold front brought damaging winds to the Arco-Mud Lake Desert region. A 77 mph wind gust was measured 6 miles northwest of Atomic City with 73 mph 12 miles east of Howe. 40 to 50 mph sustained winds were recorded for several hours. Several mesonet sites also recorded 60 to 70 mph gusts during the event. A front porch roof was ripped off a residence in Monteview at around 5 pm MDT. A power pole was snapped in half 8 miles northwest of Monteview. Large tree uprooted 3 miles north of Monteview with numerous tree limbs down along Monteview Highway. Powerlines were reported downed with power out in Mud Lake. Most of this damage reported at around the 5 pm MDT hour. Several…
- Apr 2, 2018High Wind, Upper Snake River Plain$275,000
National Weather Service narrative
A powerful cold front moved through Idaho and caused significant damage. Wind gusts of 50 to 70 mph were common throughout the day on the 2nd especially in the afternoon. Interstate 15 was closed from exit 118 to exit 143 from Idaho Falls to Roberts due to blowing dust caused from the winds. A boat was blown off a trailer near Ririe on US Highway 26. Several trees were reported downed in Idaho Falls including one that fell on top of Holy Rosary Elementary School. Some structural damage was reported in Idaho Falls due to trees falling on homes. Damage to power lines resulted in over 2,500 customers without power reported by Rocky Mountain Power. Power poles were downed in Terreton…
- Feb 5, 2017Flood$250,000
National Weather Service narrative
Extensive snow melt with warmer temperatures caused extensive sheet flooding throughout the county mainly resulting in flooded fields, damaged roadways and extensive basement flooding.
- Jan 1, 2004Blizzard, Upper Snake River Plain$220,000
National Weather Service narrative
An incredible storm concluded a very active holiday weather week in southeast Idaho with widespread snow and wind beginning Christmas and continuing almost without interruption through New Year's Day. The Pocatello airport received 23.4 inches of total snowfall during the week. The final storm during January 1st was the highlight of the week with a widespread blizzard affecting all of southeastern Idaho from the central mountains extending east and south to the Utah and Wyoming borders. An intense pacific storm system caused the event with a strong surface low pressure moving rapidly through the Idaho panhandle late in the day. The blizzard came in two waves with very strong…
- Feb 14, 2000Thunderstorm Wind$200,000
National Weather Service narrative
A warehouse roof was torn off and crushed a car. Many large trees were downed, closing city streets in Idaho Falls and crushing at least one car. The vehicle's occupants narrowly escaped injury. Several large signs were destroyed. Farms were hit hard with damage to irrigation systems, outbuildings and farm implements.
- Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.
Weather records
From Idaho Falls FAA Airport, 4.1 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1948.
- All-time high
- 103°FJul 12, 2026
- All-time low
- −38°FFeb 1, 1985
- Warmest night
- 71°FAug 8, 1983
- Coldest day
- −13°FJan 1, 1979
- Wettest day
- 1.73 inMay 6, 1993
- Snowiest day
- 9.6 inFeb 11, 1949
- Hottest year
- 2012mean 48.0°F
- Coldest year
- 1964mean 39.5°F
- Wettest year
- 198015.83 in
- Driest year
- 20025.46 in
Station Idaho Falls FAA Airport (USW00024145), 4,733 ft elevation, 4.1 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1948 to October 26, 2026; 93.7% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.
NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.
Federal disaster declarations
7 since 1953. The most recent: Covid-19 Pandemic, April 9, 2020.
| Apr 9, 2020 | Biological | DR-4534-ID |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3467-ID |
| Aug 25, 2016 | Fire | FM-5151-ID |
| Sep 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3244-ID |
| Jun 13, 1997 | Severe Storm | DR-1177-ID |
| Jun 6, 1976 | Flood | DR-505-ID |
| Dec 31, 1964 | Flood | DR-186-ID |
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.
How this compares
Where Bonneville County stands among 44 counties in Idaho and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 6 | 11 / 44 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 0 | — |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 0 | — |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 0 | — |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 97,905 | 29 / 44 |
| Flood insurance claims | 17 | 15 / 44 |
| Flood insurance paid | $40,000 | 19 / 44 |
| Disaster declarations | 7 | 17 / 44 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 34 | 11 / 44 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 314 | 3 / 44 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 284 | 10 / 44 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $38.5 million | 17 / 44 |
| River crests at major flood stage | 1 | 15 / 44 |
| High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years | 0.0 | — |
| Months in severe drought since 1895 | 217 | 15 / 44 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 21.0 | 37 / 44 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 104 | 6 / 44 |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 32 | 9 / 44 |
Neighbouring counties
| Bingham County | 20 | 0 |
| Caribou County | 4 | 0 |
| Jefferson County | 19 | 0 |
| Lincoln County WY | 6 | 0 |
| Madison County | 6 | 0 |
| Teton County | 1 | 0 |
| Teton County WY | 3 | 0 |
Sources and vintage
Every number on this page comes from these public records.
- Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
- Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
- Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
- Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
- Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
- Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USW00024145.
- River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
- Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Volcanoes USGS Volcano Hazards Program, U.S. volcanoes and 2018 threat assessment.
- Landslides USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0 (2025).
- Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.
Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.