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Natural hazards · Burien

Burien, WA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Burien comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 12 claims here since 1996. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Burien?

78
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Burien to be higher than in 78% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes.

Earthquakes85%Inland flooding13%Everything else3%
By hazard

What Burien faces

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

Earthquakes

85% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

13% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 15% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningTsunamisVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

HurricanesCold wavesDroughtAvalanches
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 Burien flood?

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

12paid claims since 1996
$111Kpaid to owners
4homes flooded more than once
19962026

Biggest named events

  • Winter storm: 3 claims, $28K

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. Burien isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: King County.
Disasters that hit Burien

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BurienDeclared for King County only
2025

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

1 household applied for aid
2012

Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$63K to the City of Burien for repairs
2009

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $219 aid approved $70K to the City of Burien for repairs
2008

Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow

$94K to the City of Burien for repairs
2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

20 households applied for aid $69K aid approved $42K to the City of Burien for repairs
2006

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, and Mudslides

$180K to the City of Burien for repairs
2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

5 households applied for aid $8K aid approved
2003

Severe Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $9K aid approved
2001

Earthquake

$17K to the City of Burien for repairs
King County has had 30 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.
Around Burien

Burien and the towns around it

SeaTac: Very high, mostly earthquakesTukwila: Very high, mostly earthquakesNormandy Park: High, mostly earthquakesBoulevard Park: Very high, mostly earthquakesWhite Center: High, mostly earthquakesSeattle: High, mostly earthquakesDes Moines: High, mostly earthquakesKent: Very high, mostly earthquakesBryn Mawr-Skyway: Very high, mostly earthquakesRenton: Very high, mostly earthquakesBainbridge Island: High, mostly earthquakesMercer Island: High, mostly earthquakesKirkland: High, mostly earthquakesMedina: Moderate, mostly earthquakesVashon: Very high, mostly earthquakesShoreline: High, mostly earthquakesKenmore: High, mostly earthquakesFederal Way: High, mostly earthquakesBurien: High, mostly earthquakes BurienSeaTacTukwilaNormandy ParkBoulevard ParkWhite CenterSeattleDes Moines
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Tukwilamostly earthquakesVery high
SeaTacmostly earthquakesVery high
Boulevard Parkmostly earthquakesVery high
Burienmostly earthquakesHigh
White Centermostly earthquakesHigh
Seattlemostly earthquakesHigh
Des Moinesmostly earthquakesHigh
Normandy Parkmostly earthquakesHigh
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. Burien covers 12 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Burien’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Burien. 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 Burien total about $34.1M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
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