Natural hazards · Highland

Highland, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Highland comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 8 claims here since 2010. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Highland?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Highland to be higher than in 99% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding46%Earthquakes40%Wildfire12%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Highland faces

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

Inland flooding

46% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about 13 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

40% of expected damage

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

Wildfire

12% of expected damage

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

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsCold wavesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Highland flood?

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

8paid claims since 2010

$384Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

20102026

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

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

Insurance rates: San Bernardino County.

Disasters that hit Highland

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HighlandDeclared for San Bernardino County only

2023

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

15 households applied for aid $8K aid approved

2020

Wildfires

26 households applied for aid

2010

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud Flows

$1.1M to the City of Highland for repairs

2007

Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris Flows

38 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

15 households applied for aid $5K aid approved $60K to the City of Highland for repairs

2003

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflow and Debris Flow Directly Related T

257 households applied for aid $134K aid approved $3K to the City of Highland for repairs

San Bernardino County has had 56 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Highland

Highland and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Highlandmostly inland floodingVery high

San Bernardinomostly earthquakesVery high

Redlandsmostly 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. Highland covers 10 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Highland’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Highland. 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 Highland total about $43.2M 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.