Natural hazards · Fountain Valley

Fountain Valley, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Fountain Valley comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 91 claims here since 1979. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Fountain Valley?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Fountain Valley to be higher than in 81% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes60%Inland flooding39%Everything else1%

By hazard

What Fountain Valley faces

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

Earthquakes

60% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

39% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold 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 Fountain Valley flood?

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

91paid claims since 1979

$229Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 7 claims, $16K
California Atmospheric River: 1 claim, $13K

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. Fountain Valley is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 9) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Orange County.

Disasters that hit Fountain Valley

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Fountain ValleyDeclared for Orange County only

2017

Wildfires

35 households applied for aid

2010

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud Flows

$6K to the City of Fountain Valley for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

1 household applied for aid

Orange County has had 36 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Fountain Valley

Fountain Valley and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Santa Anamostly earthquakesVery high

Garden Grovemostly earthquakesVery high

Westminstermostly earthquakesVery high

Fountain Valleymostly earthquakesVery high

Huntington Beachmostly 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. Fountain Valley covers 12 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Fountain Valley’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Fountain Valley. 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 Fountain Valley total about $29.2M 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.