Natural hazards · Fairfax

Fairfax, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Fairfax comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 90 claims here since 1978. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Fairfax?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Fairfax to be higher than in 88% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding61%Earthquakes32%Wildfire5%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Fairfax faces

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

Inland flooding

61% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

32% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Wildfire

5% of expected damage

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

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesLandslidesStrong windLightningVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsCold wavesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamis

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 Fairfax flood?

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

90paid claims since 1978

$2.0Mpaid to owners

6homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

California Atmospheric River: 1 claim, $5K
Pineapple Express - Southern: 1 claim, $456

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Marin County.

Disasters that hit Fairfax

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into FairfaxDeclared for Marin County only

2023

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

$59K to the Town of Fairfax for repairs

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$38K to the Town of Fairfax for repairs

2019

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$68K to the Town of Fairfax for repairs

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$534K to the Town of Fairfax for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$32K to the Town of Fairfax for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

108 households applied for aid $172K aid approved $1.1M to the Town of Fairfax for repairs

Marin County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Fairfax

Fairfax and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

San Anselmomostly inland floodingVery high

Fairfaxmostly inland floodingVery high

Sleepy Hollowmostly inland floodingVery 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. Fairfax covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Fairfax’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Fairfax. 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 Fairfax total about $2.1M 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.