Federal aid under an emergency declaration is capped at $5 million, and nothing flows without a presidential approval. For Kansas, data compiled by USAFacts from the Federal Emergency Management Agency shows how often that approval has been requested and granted: three declarations so far in 2026, as of September, which equals the state’s yearly average.
That average is also three. USAFacts calculates it over the most recent five full years of FEMA data, 2021 through 2025. The year before this one ran higher, with five declarations in 2025. Across the last five years Kansas declared 17 disasters in all, and severe storms account for 12 of them.
The 2026 declarations
FEMA’s list, as reproduced by USAFacts, puts all three 2026 declarations in the major disaster category, each for severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding. Two carry the date September 1, 2026. The third is dated June 30, 2026.
The 2025 entries read much the same. A December 19 declaration covered severe storms, straight-line winds and flooding. One on September 11 added tornadoes. USAFacts notes that a state can end up with several declarations for one disaster event, because the state and tribal nations can each have their own, and because major disaster and emergency declarations are counted separately.
What a declaration is
USAFacts describes a declaration as a formal request for federal aid when state, local or tribal resources are overwhelmed. In most cases a governor makes the request, though tribal nations may file independently. The president must approve every one, and the aid available depends on the kind of declaration.
A major disaster declaration covers events such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, wildfires and droughts, and usually involves widespread damage that takes a long time to repair. An emergency declaration is issued when federal help is needed to protect lives, property, or public health and safety. A third type, fire management, applies to suppressing a single large blaze or several smaller ones. Those decisions are usually made within a few hours instead of the longer timelines of the other types.
Counts move for reasons beyond the weather. USAFacts lists the type and severity of disasters and whether the president approves a request among the factors. Since 1980, Kansas has had 96 disaster declarations in total. The page, last updated October 13, 2026, is refreshed monthly.
