FEMA disaster declarations in South Dakota

Federal major disaster, emergency and fire management declarations for South Dakota since 1 Jan 2024, the counties and areas each one designates, and the requests FEMA turned down.

Updated FEMA data refreshed · read from OpenFEMA

Is South Dakota a federal disaster area?

The most recent federal declaration for South Dakota is DR-4941-SD, a major disaster declaration made on 1 Sep 2026 for Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding that began 2 Jun 2026, covering 1 designated area.

FEMA has made 4 disaster declarations in South Dakota so far in 2026 (3 major disaster, 1 fire management). Over the last 12 months, the median major disaster declaration came 91 days after the incident began and 39 days after the request (3 declarations). 0 requests were turned down in 2026.

Deadlines to apply for FEMA individual assistance in South Dakota (estimates)

  • DR-4941-SD Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding: apply by about 31 Oct 2026 (12 days left). Individual assistance in Oglala Sioux Tribe of the Pine Ridge Reservation.

FEMA's standard registration period is 60 days from the declaration date. FEMA often extends it; DisasterAssistance.gov has the official deadline. Every open deadline, soonest first.

Counties and areas designated in the last 12 months

14 areas named in at least one declaration since 19 Oct 2025, each with the newest declaration that names it. A designation applies to that declaration's incident period and programs only; FEMA's page for the declaration says what help is available.

Beadle County DR-4938-SD · Major disaster · Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding 1 Sep 2026 1
Bennett County DR-4938-SD · Major disaster · Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding 1 Sep 2026 1
Buffalo County DR-4938-SD · Major disaster · Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding 1 Sep 2026 1
Crow Creek Indian Reservation DR-4938-SD · Major disaster · Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding 1 Sep 2026 1
Custer County DR-4903-SD · Major disaster · Straight-Line Winds 7 Apr 2026 2
Day County DR-4938-SD · Major disaster · Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding 1 Sep 2026 1
Fall River County DR-4903-SD · Major disaster · Straight-Line Winds 7 Apr 2026 1
Hand County DR-4938-SD · Major disaster · Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding 1 Sep 2026 1
Hughes County DR-4938-SD · Major disaster · Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding 1 Sep 2026 1
Hyde County DR-4938-SD · Major disaster · Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding 1 Sep 2026 1
Lower Brule Indian Reservation DR-4938-SD · Major disaster · Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding 1 Sep 2026 1
Oglala Sioux Tribe of the Pine Ridge Reservation DR-4941-SD · Major disaster · Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding 1 Sep 2026 1
Pennington County DR-4903-SD · Major disaster · Straight-Line Winds 7 Apr 2026 1
Stanley County DR-4938-SD · Major disaster · Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding 1 Sep 2026 1

All declarations since 1 Jan 2024

7 declarations, newest first. Select a column heading to sort.

1 Sep 2026 DR-4941-SD Tribal Major disaster Severe Storm
Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding
2 Jun 2026 91 34 IH, PA Yes 31 Oct 2026
estimate · 12 days left
Oglala Sioux Tribe of the Pine Ridge Reservation
1 Sep 2026 DR-4938-SD Major disaster Severe Storm
Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding
28 Jun 2026 65 39 PA No —
10 areas

Beadle County, Bennett County, Buffalo County, Crow Creek Indian Reservation, Day County, Hand County, Hughes County, Hyde County, Lower Brule Indian Reservation, Stanley County

7 Apr 2026 DR-4903-SD Major disaster Straight-Line Winds
Straight-Line Winds
17 Dec 2025 111 70 PA No — Custer County, Fall River County, Pennington County
13 Mar 2026 FM-5622-SD Fire management Fire
Qury Fire
12 Mar 2026 1 0 PA No — Custer County
11 Sep 2025 DR-4890-SD Tribal Major disaster Flood
Severe Storm and Flooding
12 Jun 2025 91 37 IH, PA Yes 10 Nov 2025
estimate · passed unless extended
Lake Traverse (Sisseton) Indian Reservation
1 Nov 2024 DR-4842-SD Tribal Major disaster Severe Storm
Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding
13 Jul 2024 111 50 IH, PA, HM Yes 31 Dec 2024
estimate · passed unless extended
Cheyenne River Indian Reservation
15 Aug 2024 DR-4807-SD Major disaster Flood
Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding
16 Jun 2024 60 20 IH, PA, HM Yes 14 Oct 2024
estimate · passed unless extended
25 areas

Aurora County, Bennett County, Bon Homme County, Brule County, Buffalo County, Charles Mix County, Clay County, Davison County, Douglas County, Gregory County, Hand County, Hanson County, Hutchinson County, Jackson County, Lake County, Lincoln County, McCook County, Miner County, Minnehaha County, Moody County, Sanborn County, Tripp County, Turner County, Union County, Yankton County

Requests FEMA turned down

Requests from South Dakota for a major disaster or emergency declaration that were not approved, newest decision first. Requests still under review are not published.

20 Dec 2025 Major Disaster Tribal R8 Rosebud Sioux Tribe Winds and Severe Weather
Severe Storm
27 Apr 2025 26 Jun 2025 177 Turned down

How to read these tables

  • Major disaster (DR) and emergency (EM) declarations are made by the President; fire management (FM) declarations are approved by FEMA.
  • Days to declaration counts from the first day of the incident period FEMA recorded to the declaration date. Days from request counts from the date of the governor's or tribal leader's request. Both are calculated here from FEMA's dates.
  • Designated areas are the counties, parishes, boroughs, tribal areas and other places FEMA lists for the declaration, including any added later. A designation may cover only some of the programs.
  • Programs: IH = Individuals and Households Program, IA = Individual Assistance, PA = Public Assistance, HM = Hazard Mitigation — included in at least one designated area.
  • Individual assistance is Yes when the declaration opens the Individuals and Households Program (help people register for) in at least one designated area.
  • Apply by (estimate) is FEMA's standard registration period for individual assistance after a major disaster: 60 days from the declaration date (44 CFR 206.112), calculated here. It is an estimate: FEMA often extends deadlines, and DisasterAssistance.gov has the official date. Emergency and fire management declarations have no date here. Open deadlines, soonest first.
  • Pending requests are not published in OpenFEMA. Only declarations that were made and requests that were turned down appear, so a request still under review is on neither list.

Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), OpenFEMA Dataset: Disaster Declarations Summaries - v2 and Declaration Denials - v1, retrieved 19 Oct 2026, 17:28 UTC from https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v2/DisasterDeclarationsSummaries and https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/DeclarationDenials. 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).

Questions

Is there a FEMA disaster declaration for South Dakota in 2026?

Yes. FEMA has made 4 disaster declarations for South Dakota so far in 2026. The most recent federal declaration for South Dakota is DR-4941-SD, a major disaster declaration made on 1 Sep 2026 for Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding that began 2 Jun 2026, covering 1 designated area.

Which South Dakota counties are federal disaster areas?

14 areas in South Dakota were named in a FEMA declaration in the last 12 months, including Beadle County, Bennett County, Buffalo County, Crow Creek Indian Reservation, Custer County, Day County. The full list is on this page, each with the declaration that names it. A designation covers that declaration's incident period and programs only.

Has FEMA turned down a disaster request from South Dakota?

OpenFEMA lists 1 turned-down request from South Dakota since 1 Jan 2024. The most recent was a major disaster request for R8 Rosebud Sioux Tribe Winds and Severe Weather, turned down on 20 Dec 2025. Requests still under review are not published.

How long do FEMA declarations take in South Dakota?

Across 6 major disaster declarations for South Dakota since 1 Jan 2024, the median time from the start of the incident to the declaration was 91 days.

What is the deadline to apply for FEMA assistance in South Dakota?

Estimated deadlines still open in South Dakota: DR-4941-SD (Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding): apply by about 31 Oct 2026 (12 days left). These are FEMA's standard 60 days from the declaration date; FEMA often extends them, and DisasterAssistance.gov has the official date. Apply at DisasterAssistance.gov or call 800-621-3362.

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