Natural hazards · Brisbane

Brisbane, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Brisbane comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1982. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Brisbane?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Brisbane to be higher than in 85% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes79%Inland flooding19%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Brisbane faces

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

Earthquakes

79% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

19% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 32% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningTsunamis

Not a risk here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesDroughtAvalanchesVolcanic 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 Brisbane flood?

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

3paid claims since 1982

$6Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19822026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Brisbane 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 Mateo County.

Disasters that hit Brisbane

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BrisbaneDeclared for San Mateo County only

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

11 households applied for aid $115K aid approved $2.1M to the City of Brisbane for repairs

2020

Wildfires

11 households applied for aid

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$238K to the City of Brisbane for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

$5K to the City of Brisbane for repairs

San Mateo County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Brisbane

Brisbane and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Alamedamostly earthquakesVery high

South San Franciscomostly earthquakesVery high

Oaklandmostly earthquakesVery high

San Franciscomostly earthquakesVery high

Daly Citymostly earthquakesVery high

Brisbanemostly 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. Brisbane covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Brisbane’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Brisbane. 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 Brisbane total about $7.3M 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.