Natural hazards · Burgaw

Burgaw, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Burgaw comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 37 claims here since 1998. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Burgaw?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Burgaw to be higher than in 96% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes64%Inland flooding25%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Burgaw faces

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

Hurricanes

64% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

25% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Burgaw flood?

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

37paid claims since 1998

$2.0Mpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19982026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Florence: 21 claims, $1.9M
Hurricane Floyd: 5 claims, $139K
Hurricane Bonnie: 3 claims, $19K

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

Insurance rates: Pender County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

114flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

24homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Burgaw

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BurgawDeclared for Pender County only

2024

Tropical Storm Debby

$58K to the Town of Burgaw for repairs

2022

Hurricane Ian

$28K to the Town of Burgaw for repairs

2020

Hurricane Isaias

$62K to the Town of Burgaw for repairs

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$57K to the Town of Burgaw for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

1,761 households applied for aid $7.0M aid approved $332K to the Town of Burgaw for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

239 households applied for aid $261K aid approved $62K to the Town of Burgaw for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

98 households applied for aid $100K aid approved $52K to the Town of Burgaw for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Straight-Line Winds

85 households applied for aid $122K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Ophelia

$3K to the Town of Burgaw for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

147 households applied for aid $97K aid approved $16K to the Town of Burgaw for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$163K to the Town of Burgaw for repairs

1999

Hurricane Dennis

$1K to the Town of Burgaw for repairs

Pender County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

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. Burgaw 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 Burgaw’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Burgaw. 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.