Natural hazards · Lucerne

Lucerne, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lucerne comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Lucerne?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding51%Avalanches26%Earthquakes11%Wildfire8%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Lucerne faces

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

Inland flooding

51% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Avalanches

26% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 0% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Earthquakes

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Wildfire

8% of expected damage

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

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtVolcanic 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 Lucerne flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Lake County.

Disasters that hit Lucerne

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LucerneDeclared for Lake County only

2020

Wildfires

9 households applied for aid

2018

Wildfires and High Winds

149 households applied for aid $153K aid approved

2017

Wildfires

8 households applied for aid

2015

Valley Fire and Butte Fire

1 household applied for aid

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

8 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

Lake County has had 32 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires 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. Lucerne 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 Lucerne’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Lucerne. 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.

Lucerne, CA natural hazards

How exposed is Lucerne?

What Lucerne faces

Inland flooding

Avalanches

Earthquakes

Wildfire

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Lucerne flood?

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Wildfires

Wildfires and High Winds

Wildfires

Valley Fire and Butte Fire

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

Nearby