Natural hazards · Burnham

Burnham, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Burnham comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 16 claims here since 1978. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Burnham?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Burnham to be higher than in 79% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding87%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Burnham faces

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

Inland flooding

87% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Burnham flood?

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

16paid claims since 1978

$335Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Not a named storm: 2 claims, $4K
Tropical Storm Ivan: 2 claims, $21K
Hurricane Irene: 1 claim, $15K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Mifflin County.

Disasters that hit Burnham

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BurnhamDeclared for Mifflin County only

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

28 households applied for aid $111K aid approved

Mifflin County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and hurricanes.

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. Burnham covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Burnham’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Burnham. 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 Burnham total about $844K 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.