Natural hazards · Loyalton

Loyalton, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Loyalton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 10 claims here since 1996. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Loyalton?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding43%Wildfire41%Earthquakes7%Lightning6%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Loyalton faces

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

Inland flooding

43% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Wildfire

41% of expected damage

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

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Lightning

6% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 10% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesLandslidesStrong windDroughtAvalanchesVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsCold wavesTsunamis

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 Loyalton flood?

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

10paid claims since 1996

$134Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19962026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Sierra County.

Disasters that hit Loyalton

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LoyaltonDeclared for Sierra County only

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$51K to the City of Loyalton for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

$48K to the City of Loyalton for repairs

Sierra County has had 13 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. Loyalton is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Loyalton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Loyalton. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.