Natural hazards · Madera

Madera, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Madera comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 8 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 Madera?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Madera to be higher than in 80% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding55%Earthquakes32%Heat waves10%Everything else3%

By hazard

What Madera faces

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

Inland flooding

55% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

32% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Heat waves

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Recorded about 10 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsCold wavesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Madera flood?

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

8paid claims since 1978

$88Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Madera County.

Disasters that hit Madera

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MaderaDeclared for Madera County only

2023

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

49 households applied for aid $63K aid approved

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$631K to the City of Madera for repairs

2020

Wildfires

88 households applied for aid

Madera County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Madera

Madera and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Parksdalemostly inland floodingVery high

Maderamostly inland floodingVery high

Parkwoodmostly inland floodingHigh

Madera Acresmostly inland floodingHigh

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. Madera covers 12 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Madera’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Madera. 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 Madera total about $22.2M 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.