Natural hazards · Ojai

Ojai, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ojai comes from wildfires, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 26 claims here since 1978. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Ojai?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Ojai to be higher than in 100% of U.S. communities, mostly from wildfires and earthquakes.

Wildfire39%Earthquakes33%Inland flooding27%

By hazard

What Ojai faces

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

Wildfire

39% of expected damage

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

Earthquakes

33% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

27% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsTsunamisVolcanic 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 Ojai flood?

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

26paid claims since 1978

$233Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 6 claims, $37K
California Atmospheric River: 1 claim, $7K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Ventura County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2buildings floodproofed

Disasters that hit Ojai

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OjaiDeclared for Ventura County only

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

124 households applied for aid $498K aid approved

2018

Wildfires

1 household applied for aid

2017

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflows, and Debris Flows

248 households applied for aid $630K aid approved $23K to the City of Ojai for repairs

2007

Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris Flows

1 household applied for aid

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

113 households applied for aid $201K aid approved $100K to the City of Ojai for repairs

Ventura County has had 44 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Ojai

Ojai and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Ojaimostly wildfiresVery high

Meiners Oaksmostly earthquakesVery high

Mira Montemostly earthquakesVery 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. Ojai 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 Ojai’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Ojai. 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.