San Diego County, CA Environment & Hazard Risk

• WildfireVery High$430M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 38 years
• EarthquakeRelatively High$426M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 9 years
• LandslideRelatively High$3.09M/yr expected annual loss, about 177 events a year
• Heat waveRelatively High$24.15M/yr expected annual loss, about 10 events a year
• LightningRelatively Moderate$829K/yr expected annual loss, about 11 events a year
• HailRelatively Moderate$825K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 10 years
• Coastal floodingRelatively Moderate$1.47M/yr expected annual loss, about 1.6 events a year
• TornadoRelatively Low$2.27M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 3 years
• DroughtRelatively Low$299K/yr expected annual loss, about 54 events a year
• TsunamiRelatively Low$1.63M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 3 years
• Strong windRelatively Moderate$642K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 5 years
• Winter weatherRelatively Low$66.67K/yr expected annual loss, about 3.7 events a year
• Volcanic activityVery Low$3/yr expected annual loss, about once every 10,000 years
• AvalancheVery Low$137/yr expected annual loss, about once every 100 years
• HurricaneVery Low$1,416/yr expected annual loss, about once every 94 years
• Cold waveVery Low$521/yr expected annual loss, about once every 16,549 years

Bars show the national percentile score (0 to 100) for each hazard. Dollar figures are expected annual losses to buildings, people and crops. Not rated here: ice storm, riverine flooding.

Check the flood zone for an address

Homes with flood insurance

6,088 of 890,566 (0.7%)

Homes in high-risk flood zones

12,953

Insured in high-risk zones

3,137 (24%)

Flood claims since 1978

2,442

Claims paid since 1978

$48.04M

• High Wind551 · 2 deaths
• Flash Flood256 · 5 deaths
• Flood252 · 7 deaths
• Dense Fog225 · 5 deaths
• Wildfire209 · 31 deaths
• Heavy Rain140 · 4 deaths
• Drought131
• High Surf117 · 6 deaths
• Thunderstorm Wind111 · 5 deaths
• Excessive Heat100 · 2 deaths

• Wildfire10/26/2003

  Pine Hills, San Diego County

  14 deaths, 90 injured, $1.05B damage

  What happened

  Named the Cedar Fire, this fire was started around sunset on October 25 by a lost hunter. Wind gusts from the northeast over 30 mph began within 2 hours of the fire's start. Atmospheric conditions remained favorable for rapid fire growth for the four days following with maximum temperatures ranging between 88 and 98, and minimum relative humidity around 15%. During the first 36 hours, the fire grew at a rate of 6000 acres/hour. At one point it had a 45 mile long flaming front and threatened to merge with the Paradise Fire to the north and the Otay Fire to the south. During the month of October, it consumed 275,833 acres and destroyed: 2403 residential, commercial, and industrial buildings; 2725 accessory buildings; 3302 vehicles, travel trailers, boats, and tractors; 500 power poles; and several miles of utility and highway infrastructure. It damaged another 155 residential, commercial, and industrial buildings; 16 accessory buildings; and 11 vehicles, travel trailers, boats, and tractors. Of the acreage consumed, 33,000 were within the city limits of San Diego. Communities affected included: Lake Cuyamaca, Wynola, Pine Hills, Harrison Park, Scripps Ranch, Tierrasanta, San...

• Wildfire10/21/2007

  San Diego County Valleys

  2 deaths, 40 injured, $321M damage

  What happened

  The Witch Creek Fire was by far the largest of the October 2007 wildfires. The fire started around 12:35 pm on the 21st in Witch Creek Canyon near Santa Ysabel and quickly spread west to Ramona. By the morning of the 22nd, strong Santa Ana winds had pushed the fire into Rancho Bernardo, Poway and Escondido, causing significant damage. From there the fire jumped over Interstate 15 and continued west, causing additional damage in Lake Hodges, 4S Ranch, Del Dios and Rancho Santa Fe. Several hundred-thousand people were informed of mandatory evacuation orders via a reverse 911 system. The fire destroyed 1,125 homes, 509 outbuildings, and 239 vehicles. An additional 77 homes and 25 outbuildings were damaged. An older couple was killed in their home on Highland Valley Road when fire raced through their property during the early morning hours of the 22nd. The married couple next door nearly suffered the same fate, but survived the fire by jumping into their swimming pool as their home burned down. At least 40 firefighters and 2 civilians were injured during the fire. A total of 197,990 acres of brush, grasslands, and oak savannah was burned. The cause of the fire was determined to be...

• Wildfire10/21/2007

  San Diego County Valleys

  8 deaths, 61 injured, $75M damage

  What happened

  A 52 year-old Potrero man was killed while trying to save his home. At least seven others were killed after having crossed the border illegally.

• Wildfire10/22/2007

  San Diego County Valleys

  5 injured, $166M damage

  What happened

  The Rice Fire started on October 22nd and burned 9,472 acres near Fallbrook. The fire destroyed 206 homes, 40 outbuildings, and 2 commercial properties. Crop damage was estimated at $14.6M. The cause of the fire was determined to be downed power line. Five injuries were reported. The Rice Fire cost $6.5M to fight and was one of thirteen large, wind-driven wildfires to impact the San Diego CWA in late October.

• Winter Weather01/07/1997

  San Diego County Mountains

  14 deaths

  What happened

  Persistent northerly flow and low pressure aloft along the west coast, resulted in a prolonged period of cold and snow for the San Diego Mountains. Up to 18 inches of snow was reported over the higher elevations of the Laguna Mountains, with temperatures dipping into the upper teens and twenties at night. Undocumented immigrants were caught unprepared for the harsh conditions, resulting in a rash of fatalities due to hypothermia. One man died on the seventh, while clinging to a tree in the Tijuana River. Another was found on the Campo Indian Reservation on the tenth. Four more bodies were recovered near Pine Valley on the thirteenth and fourteenth. Elsewhere, a women in her late 20s died in rural Campo, and a 21 year old man died near Jamul. On January 16, four more undocumented immigrants died of exposure crossing the Laguna Mountains. Finally, on the seventeenth and eighteenth, a young male body was found in an open area near Campo and another was recovered near Potrero.

• Wildfire10/26/2003

  Valley Center, San Diego County

  2 deaths, 18 injured, $77.22M damage

  What happened

  Named the Paradise Fire, this fire was started by an arsonist on October 26, 2003. In October it consumed 56,000 acres, and destroyed 348 structures, 342 vehicles, and several miles of utility lines and highway infrastructure. Atmospheric and fuel conditions were favorable for rapid growth both preceding and during the first several days of the fire. Maximum temperatures ranged between 91 and 101 degrees, relative humidity ranged from 6 to 10 percent during the day and 28-46 percent at night, with east and northeast winds gusting 30 to 40 mph during the nights and mornings and becoming west 5 to 10 mph during the afternoons. On the first day, the fire rapidly burned into Valley Center and east Escondido, consuming 7,350 acres and 160 structures. Rapid fire growth continued for the next two days. From October 29 through October 31, the dominate wind direction was southwest and moisture increased significantly. Light rain and drizzle fell over parts of the fire area, but the fire was only 30 percent contained and still active when October ended.

• Heavy Rain04/13/2026

  Whispering Pines, San Diego County

• High Wind50 kt wind04/01/2026

  San Diego County Deserts

• Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind02/18/2026

  Rancho Santa Fe, San Diego County

• Heavy Rain02/16/2026

  University Hgts, San Diego County

• High Wind76 kt wind01/10/2026

  San Diego County Mountains

• High Wind66 kt wind01/10/2026

  San Diego County Mountains

• High Wind59 kt wind01/10/2026

  San Diego County Mountains

• High Wind66 kt wind01/09/2026

  Santa Ana Mountains and Foothills

• San Diego, City ofServes 1,408,937 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
• Helix Water DistrictServes 277,918 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
• Otay Water DistrictServes 242,155 · Purchased surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
• Sweetwater AuthorityServes 184,915 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
• Oceanside, City ofServes 174,340 · Purchased surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
• Escondido, City ofServes 137,044 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
• Vista Irrigation DistrictServes 134,501 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
• Vallecitos WdServes 114,700 · Purchased surface water · Local governmentNo health violations+1 monitoring or reporting