Natural hazards · Murrieta

Murrieta, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Murrieta comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 8 claims here since 1993. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Murrieta?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Murrieta to be higher than in 84% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding57%Earthquakes31%Wildfire10%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Murrieta faces

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

Inland flooding

57% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

31% of expected damage

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

Wildfire

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingIce 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 Murrieta flood?

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

8paid claims since 1993

$50Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19932026

Biggest named events

Winter storm: 1 claim, $9K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 05% off flood insurance. Murrieta is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 9) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Riverside County.

Disasters that hit Murrieta

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MurrietaDeclared for Riverside County only

2019

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$36K to the City of Murrieta for repairs

2007

Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris Flows

14 households applied for aid $61 aid approved $87K to the City of Murrieta for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

4 households applied for aid

2003

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflow and Debris Flow Directly Related T

3 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

Riverside County has had 61 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Murrieta

Murrieta and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Menifeemostly inland floodingVery high

Wildomarmostly inland floodingVery high

Temeculamostly inland floodingVery high

French Valleymostly inland floodingVery high

Murrietamostly inland floodingVery 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. Murrieta covers 18 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Murrieta’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Murrieta. 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 Murrieta total about $49.4M 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.