Natural hazards · Fullerton

Fullerton, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Fullerton comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 10 claims here since 1978. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Fullerton?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Fullerton to be higher than in 89% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes70%Inland flooding29%

By hazard

What Fullerton faces

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

Earthquakes

70% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

29% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

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 Fullerton flood?

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

10paid claims since 1978

$42Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

California Atmospheric River: 1 claim, $4K

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

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

Insurance rates: Orange County.

Disasters that hit Fullerton

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into FullertonDeclared for Orange County only

2017

Wildfires

66 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2008

Wildfires

1 household applied for aid $288 aid approved

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

46 households applied for aid $47K aid approved $167K to the City of Fullerton for repairs

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

Around Fullerton

Fullerton and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

La Habramostly earthquakesVery high

Buena Parkmostly earthquakesVery high

La Miradamostly earthquakesVery high

Fullertonmostly earthquakesVery high

Breamostly earthquakesVery high

Placentiamostly earthquakesVery high

Anaheimmostly 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. Fullerton covers 31 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Fullerton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Fullerton. 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 Fullerton total about $133M 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.