Natural hazards · Fortuna

Fortuna, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Fortuna comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 1986. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Fortuna?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Fortuna to be higher than in 95% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding53%Earthquakes47%

By hazard

What Fortuna faces

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

Inland flooding

53% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

47% of expected damage

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

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 Fortuna flood?

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

2paid claims since 1986

$6Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19862026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Humboldt County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3buildings floodproofed

Disasters that hit Fortuna

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into FortunaDeclared for Humboldt County only

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$57K to the City of Fortuna for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

$88K to the City of Fortuna for repairs

Humboldt County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

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. Fortuna covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Fortuna’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Fortuna. 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 Fortuna total about $4.3M 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.