Natural hazards · Rialto

Rialto, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Rialto comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 6 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 Rialto?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Rialto to be higher than in 94% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes61%Inland flooding33%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Rialto faces

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

Earthquakes

61% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

33% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about 13 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Rialto flood?

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

6paid claims since 1978

$17Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 1 claim, $655

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: San Bernardino County.

Disasters that hit Rialto

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RialtoDeclared for San Bernardino County only

2023

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

32 households applied for aid $26K aid approved

2020

Wildfires

35 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2007

Wildfires, Flooding, Mud Flows, and Debris Flows

53 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

64 households applied for aid $21K aid approved $297K to the City of Rialto for repairs

2003

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflow and Debris Flow Directly Related T

552 households applied for aid $203K aid approved $45K to the City of Rialto for repairs

San Bernardino County has had 56 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Rialto

Rialto and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Coltonmostly earthquakesVery high

San Bernardinomostly earthquakesVery high

Bloomingtonmostly earthquakesVery high

Rialtomostly earthquakesVery high

Fontanamostly 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. Rialto covers 21 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Rialto’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Rialto. 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 Rialto total about $76.8M 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.