Natural hazards · Poway

Poway, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Poway comes from wildfires, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 54 claims here since 1993. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Poway?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Poway to be higher than in 85% of U.S. communities, mostly from wildfires and inland flooding.

Wildfire44%Inland flooding42%Earthquakes12%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Poway faces

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

Wildfire

44% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

42% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% 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 Poway flood?

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

54paid claims since 1993

$733Kpaid to owners

7homes flooded more than once

19932026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 6 claims, $5K
Winter storm: 2 claims, $41K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Poway is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: San Diego County.

Disasters that hit Poway

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PowayDeclared for San Diego County only

2024

Severe Storm and Flooding

18 households applied for aid $16K aid approved

2020

Wildfires

6 households applied for aid

2017

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflows, and Debris Flows

1 household applied for aid

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$274K to the City of Poway for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Debris and Mud Flows

$34K to the City of Poway for repairs

2007

Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris Flows

399 households applied for aid $109K aid approved $1.2M to the City of Poway for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

$54K to the City of Poway for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mud and Debris Flows

$6K to the City of Poway for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

16 households applied for aid $47K aid approved $306K to the City of Poway for repairs

2003

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflow and Debris Flow Directly Related T

173 households applied for aid $559K aid approved $538K to the City of Poway for repairs

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

Around Poway

Poway and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Powaymostly wildfiresVery high

San Diegomostly earthquakesHigh

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. Poway covers 12 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Poway’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Poway. 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 Poway total about $36.2M 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.