Natural hazards · Burlingame

Burlingame, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Burlingame comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 65 claims here since 1978. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Burlingame?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Burlingame to be higher than in 90% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes67%Inland flooding25%Coastal flooding7%Everything else1%

By hazard

What Burlingame faces

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

Earthquakes

67% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

25% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Coastal flooding

7% of expected damage

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

Lower here

TornadoesHailHeat 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 Burlingame flood?

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

65paid claims since 1978

$2.7Mpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

California Atmospheric River: 4 claims, $368K
Pineapple Express - Southern: 1 claim, $195

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

🏷️ 05% off flood insurance. Burlingame is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 9) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: San Mateo County.

Disasters that hit Burlingame

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BurlingameDeclared for San Mateo County only

2023

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

$197K to the City of Burlingame for repairs

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

46 households applied for aid $247K aid approved $444K to the City of Burlingame for repairs

2020

Wildfires

97 households applied for aid $24K aid approved

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$47K to the City of Burlingame for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

$24K to the City of Burlingame for repairs

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

Around Burlingame

Burlingame and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

San Mateomostly earthquakesVery high

Millbraemostly earthquakesVery high

Burlingamemostly earthquakesVery high

Hillsboroughmostly 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. Burlingame covers 7 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Burlingame’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Burlingame. 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 Burlingame total about $44.5M 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.