Natural hazards · Brea

Brea, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Brea comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 1996. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Brea?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Brea to be higher than in 89% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes69%Inland flooding30%

By hazard

What Brea faces

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

Earthquakes

69% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

30% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsCold wavesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Brea flood?

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

1paid claims since 1996

$7Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19962026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Orange County.

Disasters that hit Brea

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BreaDeclared for Orange County only

2017

Wildfires

21 households applied for aid

2008

Wildfires

15 households applied for aid $19K aid approved $262K to the City of Brea for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mud and Debris Flows

$11K to the City of Brea for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

10 households applied for aid $9K aid approved $82K to the City of Brea for repairs

Orange County has had 36 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Brea

Brea and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

La Habramostly earthquakesVery high

Breamostly earthquakesVery high

Fullertonmostly earthquakesVery high

Rowland Heightsmostly earthquakesVery high

Placentiamostly earthquakesVery high

Yorba Lindamostly earthquakesVery high

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. Brea covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Brea’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Brea. 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 Brea total about $34.1M 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.