Natural hazards · Sebastopol

Sebastopol, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Sebastopol comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 50 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 Sebastopol?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Sebastopol to be higher than in 91% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes68%Inland flooding31%

By hazard

What Sebastopol faces

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

Earthquakes

68% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

31% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsCold wavesAvalanchesTsunamis

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 Sebastopol flood?

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

50paid claims since 1978

$1.6Mpaid to owners

7homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Pineapple Express - Southern: 3 claims, $12K

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

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

Insurance rates: Sonoma County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Sebastopol

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SebastopolDeclared for Sonoma County only

2020

Wildfires

77 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

2019

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$254K to the City of Sebastopol for repairs

2017

Wildfires

126 households applied for aid $5K aid approved

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$10K to the City of Sebastopol for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

35 households applied for aid $71K aid approved $31K to the City of Sebastopol for repairs

Sonoma County has had 29 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Sebastopol

Sebastopol and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Santa Rosamostly earthquakesVery high

Sebastopolmostly 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. Sebastopol covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Sebastopol’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Sebastopol. 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 Sebastopol total about $3.9M 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.