Natural hazards · Fircrest

Fircrest, WA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Fircrest comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 8 claims here since 1986. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Fircrest?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Fircrest to be higher than in 74% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes76%Inland flooding20%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Fircrest faces

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

Earthquakes

76% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

20% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 35% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesCold wavesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamis

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 Fircrest flood?

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

8paid claims since 1986

$79Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19862026

Biggest named events

Torrential rain: 2 claims, $22K
Winter storm: 1 claim, $3K

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. Fircrest 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.

Disasters that hit Fircrest

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into FircrestDeclared for Pierce County only

2012

Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$16K to the City of Fircrest for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, Mudslides, and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow

$8K to the City of Fircrest for repairs

2006

Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, and Mudslides

$36K to the City of Fircrest for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

1 household applied for aid

2003

Severe Storms and Flooding

10 households applied for aid $13K aid approved

2001

Earthquake

$8K to the City of Fircrest for repairs

Pierce County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Fircrest

Fircrest and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Tacomamostly earthquakesHigh

Fircrestmostly earthquakesHigh

University Placemostly 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. Fircrest covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Fircrest’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Fircrest. 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 Fircrest total about $3.1M 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.