Natural hazards · Ira

Ira, MI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ira comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 85 claims here since 1982. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Ira?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Ira to be higher than in 29% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding59%Cold waves19%Tornadoes13%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Ira faces

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

Inland flooding

59% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 49% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

19% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 51% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

13% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 64% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Ira flood?

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

85paid claims since 1982

$387Kpaid to owners

8homes flooded more than once

19822026

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: St. Clair County.

Disasters that hit Ira

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into IraDeclared for St. Clair County only

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

5 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

2000

Snow

$1K to the Township of Ira for repairs

St. Clair County has had 9 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Ira

Ira and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

New Baltimoremostly inland floodingLow

Claymostly inland floodingLow

Cascomostly inland floodingLow

Chesterfieldmostly inland floodingLow

Iramostly inland floodingLow

Cottrellvillemostly inland floodingLow

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. Ira covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Ira’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Ira. 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 Ira total about $1.7M 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.