Natural hazards · Buckley

Buckley, WA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Buckley comes from avalanches, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 1986. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Buckley?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Buckley to be higher than in 68% of U.S. communities, mostly from avalanches.

Avalanches73%Earthquakes15%Inland flooding8%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Buckley faces

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

Avalanches

73% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 0% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

15% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

8% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 45% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesDroughtTsunamis

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 Buckley flood?

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

4paid claims since 1986

$127Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19862026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Pierce County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Buckley

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BuckleyDeclared for Pierce County only

2025

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

4 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

2012

Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$53K to the City of Buckley for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding

6 households applied for aid $25K aid approved $391K to the City of Buckley for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow

$12K to the City of Buckley for repairs

2006

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, and Mudslides

$2K to the City of Buckley for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

3 households applied for aid $317K to the City of Buckley for repairs

Pierce County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe 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. Buckley covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Buckley’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Buckley. 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 Buckley total about $11.8M 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.