Natural hazards · Santa Paula

Santa Paula, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Santa Paula comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 27 claims here since 1978. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Santa Paula?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Santa Paula to be higher than in 99% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes70%Inland flooding30%

By hazard

What Santa Paula faces

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

Earthquakes

70% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

30% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold 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 Santa Paula flood?

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

27paid claims since 1978

$134Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 2 claims, $7K

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

No community discount. Santa Paula 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.

Disasters that hit Santa Paula

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Santa PaulaDeclared for Ventura County only

2023

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

$338K to the City of Santa Paula for repairs

2022

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

83 households applied for aid $349K aid approved $307K to the City of Santa Paula for repairs

2017

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflows, and Debris Flows

147 households applied for aid $440K aid approved $1.4M to the City of Santa Paula for repairs

2005

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

$63K to the City of Santa Paula for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Flooding, Debris Flows, and Mudslides

56 households applied for aid $102K aid approved $545K to the City of Santa Paula for repairs

2003

Wildfires, Flooding, Mudflow and Debris Flow Directly Related T

15 households applied for aid $24K aid approved $11K to the City of Santa Paula for repairs

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

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. Santa Paula covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Santa Paula’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Santa Paula. 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 Santa Paula total about $18.5M 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.