Natural hazards · Susanville

Susanville, CA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Susanville comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 26 claims here since 1990. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Susanville?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Susanville to be higher than in 84% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding70%Earthquakes22%Wildfire6%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Susanville faces

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

Inland flooding

70% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Earthquakes

22% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Wildfire

6% of expected damage

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

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherHeat wavesLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtAvalanchesVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesIce stormsCold wavesTsunamis

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 Susanville flood?

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

26paid claims since 1990

$878Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19902026

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. Susanville isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Lassen County.

Disasters that hit Susanville

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SusanvilleDeclared for Lassen County only

2021

Wildfires

120 households applied for aid $4K aid approved $3K to the City of Susanville for repairs

2020

Wildfires

45 households applied for aid $57K aid approved

2017

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$273K to the City of Susanville for repairs

2005

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

$88K to the City of Susanville for repairs

Lassen County has had 16 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. Susanville 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 Susanville’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Susanville. 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.

Susanville, CA natural hazards

How exposed is Susanville?

What Susanville faces

Inland flooding

Earthquakes

Wildfire

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Susanville flood?

Homes that flooded again and again

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Wildfires

Wildfires

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

Nearby