Natural hazards · Joshua Tree

Joshua Tree, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Joshua Tree comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Joshua Tree?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding48%Earthquakes43%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Joshua Tree faces

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

Inland flooding

48% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about 13 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

43% of expected damage

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

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsCold wavesDroughtTsunamisVolcanic 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 Joshua Tree flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Joshua Tree.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Joshua Tree 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 Joshua Tree

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Joshua Tree itself: aid to households, or repair grants to Joshua Tree.

Brought FEMA money into Joshua TreeDeclared for San Bernardino County only

2023

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

9 households applied for aid $6K aid approved

2020

Wildfires

4 households applied for aid

2007

Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris Flows

1 household applied for aid

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

6 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

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

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. Joshua Tree covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Joshua Tree’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Joshua Tree. 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 Joshua Tree total about $5.8M 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.