California has two hazards that worry residents and insurers more than any others: wildfire and earthquake. FEMA’s National Risk Index shows they are concentrated in different parts of the state.
Wildfire: Southern California leads
Only four counties in the entire US are rated Very High for wildfire, and all are in Southern California.
| Rank | County | Wildfire rating | Expected loss a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego County | Very High | $430 million |
| 2 | Riverside County | Very High | $347 million |
| 3 | Los Angeles County | Very High | $155 million |
| 4 | San Bernardino County | Very High | $146 million |
| 5 | Orange County | Relatively High | $58 million |
| 6 | El Dorado County | Relatively High | $55 million |
| 7 | Ventura County | Relatively High | $50 million |
| 8 | Kern County | Relatively High | $38 million |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025.
Dry Santa Ana winds in fall and winter, steep brush-covered hills and large numbers of homes at the edge of wild land combine in these counties. The January 2025 Los Angeles fires, including the Palisades and Eaton fires, destroyed thousands of buildings.
Among counties with at least 100,000 people, the lowest wildfire losses per resident are in San Francisco, Imperial, Kings, San Joaquin and San Mateo counties.
Earthquake: the Bay Area and Los Angeles
| Rank | County | Earthquake rating | Expected loss a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles County | Very High | $4.6 billion |
| 2 | Alameda County | Very High | $1.35 billion |
| 3 | Santa Clara County | Very High | $1.19 billion |
| 4 | Orange County | Very High | $1.0 billion |
| 5 | San Bernardino County | Very High | $922 million |
| 6 | Riverside County | Very High | $764 million |
| 7 | San Francisco County | Very High | $662 million |
Earthquake losses are lowest per resident in Sierra foothill counties such as El Dorado, Placer and Nevada, and in parts of the Central Valley.
The lowest overall risk
Among California counties with at least 100,000 people, the lowest overall risk scores are in Nevada, El Dorado, Yolo, Kings and Placer counties. Even these are rated Relatively Moderate, because nearly all of California carries some risk from fire, quakes, flooding or drought.
Do not forget flooding
Inland flooding is the costliest hazard in many California counties in FEMA’s data, including Riverside, San Bernardino, Sacramento and Placer. Atmospheric river storms can bring weeks of heavy rain, and burned hillsides make floods and mudslides worse.
Insurance in California
Standard home insurance covers wildfire, but several large insurers have limited new policies in high-risk areas. The California FAIR Plan is a fallback for people who cannot find coverage. Earthquake and flood both need separate policies.
Questions people ask
Which California county has the lowest wildfire risk? Among larger counties, San Francisco has the lowest wildfire losses per resident.
Which California county has the lowest overall risk? Among counties with at least 100,000 people, Nevada County has the lowest overall risk score in FEMA’s data, followed by El Dorado and Yolo counties.
Where can I see a county’s full risk profile? Every county page lists all 18 hazards. See all 58 counties on the California page.