Natural hazards · Big Bear

Big Bear, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Big Bear comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 1993. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Big Bear?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Big Bear to be higher than in 99% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding55%Earthquakes27%Wildfire16%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Big Bear faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

55% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about 13 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

27% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Wildfire

16% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsDroughtTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Big Bear flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Big Bear, from FEMA’s records.

4paid claims since 1993

$64Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19932026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Big Bear isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: San Bernardino County.

Disasters that hit Big Bear

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Big Bear itself: aid to households, or repair grants to Big Bear.

Brought FEMA money into Big BearDeclared for San Bernardino County only

2023

Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

53 households applied for aid $59K aid approved

2020

Wildfires

5 households applied for aid

2007

Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris Flows

3 households applied for aid

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

6 households applied for aid $19K aid approved

2003

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflow and Debris Flow Directly Related T

385 households applied for aid $21K aid approved

San Bernardino County has had 56 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Big Bear covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Big Bear’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Big Bear. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Big Bear total about $18.3M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.