Natural hazards · Burke

Burke, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Burke comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Burke?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Burke to be higher than in 8% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding39%Cold waves25%Tornadoes20%Hail9%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Burke faces

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

Inland flooding

39% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 13% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

25% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

20% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Hail

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Burke flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Burke.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Dane County.

Disasters that hit Burke

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BurkeDeclared for Dane County only

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$7K to the Town of Burke for repairs

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$5K to the Town of Burke for repairs

2000

Snow

$7K to the Town of Burke for repairs

2000

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$45K to the Town of Burke for repairs

Dane County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

Around Burke

Burke and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

DeForestmostly inland floodingLow

Windsormostly inland floodingLow

Madisonmostly inland floodingVery low

Burkemostly inland floodingVery low

Sun Prairiemostly inland floodingVery low

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. Burke covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Burke’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Burke. 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 Burke total about $4.1M 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.