Natural hazards · Big Bear Lake

Big Bear Lake, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Big Bear Lake comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 17 claims here since 1993. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Big Bear Lake?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Big Bear Lake to be higher than in 86% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes60%Inland flooding31%Wildfire8%Everything else1%

By hazard

What Big Bear Lake faces

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

Earthquakes

60% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

31% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places

Recorded about 13 times a year in the area

Wildfire

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Lake flood?

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

17paid claims since 1993

$365Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19932026

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Big Bear Lake 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.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit Big Bear Lake

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Big Bear LakeDeclared for San Bernardino County only

2023

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

48 households applied for aid $65K aid approved

2020

Wildfires

2 households applied for aid

2010

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud Flows

$33K to the City of Big Bear Lake for repairs

2007

Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris Flows

6 households applied for aid

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

28 households applied for aid $40K aid approved $338K to the City of Big Bear Lake for repairs

2003

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflow and Debris Flow Directly Related T

310 households applied for aid $16K aid approved $29K to the City of Big Bear Lake for repairs

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 Lake covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Big Bear Lake’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Big Bear Lake. 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 Lake total about $12.5M 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.