Natural hazards · Burbank

Burbank, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Burbank comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 20 claims here since 1978. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Burbank?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Burbank to be higher than in 94% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes53%Inland flooding46%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Burbank faces

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

Earthquakes

53% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

46% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsCold wavesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Burbank flood?

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

20paid claims since 1978

$144Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Mid-Winter California Flooding: 4 claims, $113K
Pineapple Express - Southern: 1 claim, $554
February California Atmospheric River: 1 claim, $4K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Los Angeles County.

Disasters that hit Burbank

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BurbankDeclared for Los Angeles County only

2025

Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds

1,319 households applied for aid $264K aid approved $408K to the City of Burbank for repairs

2020

Wildfires

31 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

2018

Wildfires

3 households applied for aid

2017

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflows, and Debris Flows

4 households applied for aid

2005

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

$14K to the City of Burbank for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

52 households applied for aid $29K aid approved $258K to the City of Burbank for repairs

2003

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflow and Debris Flow Directly Related T

3 households applied for aid $43K to the City of Burbank for repairs

Los Angeles County has had 74 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Burbank

Burbank and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Burbankmostly earthquakesVery high

Los Angelesmostly earthquakesVery high

Glendalemostly 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. Burbank covers 26 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Burbank’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Burbank. 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 Burbank total about $109M 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.