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Natural hazard risk in Tuolumne County, California

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on FEMA, NOAA and OpenFEMA data. Published by Humblebee.

FEMA overall Risk Index rating: Relatively Moderate (score 85.2 of 100)[5]

Expected annual loss (FEMA)
$50.6 million[1]
Federal disaster declarations since 1964
20[2]
NFIP flood claims paid, 1978 to 2026
$309,000[3]
Tornadoes recorded, 1950 to 2024
1[4]

FEMA's National Risk Index rates overall natural hazard risk for Tuolumne County as Relatively Moderate, with a score of 85.2 out of 100[5]. The hazards with the highest FEMA scores within the county are wildfire, landslide and heat wave[6].

FEMA risk ratings for each hazard

Ratings and expected losses from the FEMA National Risk Index. Each rating compares this county with all US counties for that hazard, from Very Low to Very High. They are planning estimates, not predictions, and they do not describe any single property.

FEMA's National Risk Index estimates $50.6 million a year in Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards in Tuolumne County, and rates that Relatively Low compared with other US counties[1]. This is a FEMA estimate of average yearly loss, not money anyone paid. The largest parts of that loss come from wildfire at $27.3 million a year, then inland flooding at $18.6 million a year, then heat wave at $2.5 million a year[7]. FEMA rates wildfire risk Relatively High compared with other US counties[8]. FEMA rates Social Vulnerability Relatively Moderate, which describes how susceptible social groups are to harm from natural hazards[9]. FEMA rates Community Resilience Relatively Moderate, which describes a community's ability to prepare for, withstand and recover from hazards[10]. FEMA says the index is not meant to predict next year's damage[11].

Hazards sorted by FEMA hazard-type Risk Index score, highest first
HazardFEMA risk ratingExpected annual loss
WildfireRelatively High$27.3 million[8]
LandslideRelatively Moderate$59,000[12]
Heat WaveRelatively Moderate$2.5 million[13]
Inland FloodingRelatively Moderate$18.6 million[14]
DroughtRelatively Moderate$595,000[15]
LightningRelatively Moderate$501,000[16]
EarthquakeRelatively Low$769,000[17]
Winter WeatherRelatively Moderate$95,000[18]
Volcanic ActivityVery Low$39[19]
AvalancheVery Low$1,196[20]
Strong WindVery Low$104,000[21]
HailVery Low$29,000[22]
TornadoVery Low$38,000[23]

Rated Not Applicable by FEMA for this county: coastal flooding, hurricane, ice storm, tsunami[24].

Social vulnerability and community resilience

FEMA uses these two ratings to scale expected losses into the Risk Index.

FEMA measureRatingScore
Social vulnerabilityRelatively Moderate53.4[9]
Community resilienceRelatively Moderate49.1[10]

Flooding and flood insurance

FEMA rates inland flooding risk Relatively Moderate for Tuolumne County, with an Expected Annual Loss of $18.6 million a year[14]. OpenFEMA lists 36 residential flood insurance contracts in force as of 2026-08-03, out of 26,609 residential structures[25]. Inside FEMA's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area, 24.1% of homes are insured[25]. OpenFEMA records 20 NFIP claims for losses from 1978 to 2026, and NFIP paid $309,000 in total[3]. To learn about a specific address, use FEMA's Flood Map Service Center[26].

Measure Value
Inland Flooding, FEMA risk rating[14] Relatively Moderate, $18.6 million expected loss a year
NFIP residential flood policies in force (2026)[25] 36 of 26,609 homes
Homes in FEMA's mapped high-risk flood area (SFHA)[25] 54, of which 13 insured
NFIP flood claims, 1978 to 2026[3] 20 filed, $309,000 paid

Is a specific address in a flood zone? Only FEMA's flood maps answer that, property by property[26]. This page describes the whole county.

Search an address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center

Disaster declarations and tornado records

OpenFEMA lists 20 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Tuolumne County since 1964[2]. By incident type, there were 7 for flood, 6 for severe storm and 5 for fire[2]. The most recent is FM-5652-CA for the Dove Fire, declared 2026-07-26[27]. NOAA's tornado database records 1 tornado touching the county from 1950 to 2024, rated EF1, on 2023-03-11[4].

Federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Tuolumne County, since 1964
Incident type Declarations
Flood[2] 7
Severe Storm[2] 6
Fire[2] 5
Hurricane[2] 1
Drought[2] 1
Most recent declarations
Declaration Incident Declared
FM-5652-CA[27] Dove Fire 2026-07-26
DR-4699-CA[27] Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides 2023-04-03
EM-3592-CA[27] Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides 2023-03-10
DR-4683-CA[27] Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides 2023-01-14
DR-4558-CA[27] Wildfires 2020-08-22

How to prepare

Steps from Ready.gov, FEMA's preparedness site, for the hazards with the highest FEMA ratings here. Follow instructions from local officials and the National Weather Service when a warning is issued.

Wildfires

Before

  • Sign up for community alerts and watch for air quality alerts.
  • Make sure everyone knows the evacuation plan, including for school, work and other places you go often.
  • Keep a fire-resistant zone of at least 30 feet around your home, clear of leaves and debris.
  • Use fire-resistant building materials and keep a hose long enough to reach every part of your property.
  • Pick a room you can seal off from outside air and keep a portable air cleaner ready.

During

  • Leave right away when authorities tell you to evacuate.
  • If you are trapped, call 9-1-1 with your location and turn on lights to help rescuers find you.
  • If you are not ordered to leave but there is smoke, stay in a safe indoor place or go to a community building with less smoke.

Source: Ready.gov, wildfires

Extreme heat

Before

  • Learn the signs of heat illness and how to respond.
  • Do not rely on a fan as your main way to stay cool. Fans do not lower body temperature.
  • Find cool public places, such as libraries or malls, or ask your local health department.
  • Keep heat out with window shades, weather stripping and insulation.
  • If you cannot afford cooling costs, contact LIHEAP for help.

During

  • Never leave a person or an animal in a parked car in warm weather.
  • If your home has no air conditioning, go to a cooling center.
  • Wear light, loose clothing, drink plenty of fluids and avoid hard outdoor work in the middle of the day.

Source: Ready.gov, extreme heat

Floods

Before

  • Check your flood risk with FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, and remember that floods do not follow map lines.
  • Sign up for your community's warning system. NOAA Weather Radio also broadcasts alerts.
  • Buy flood insurance through the NFIP well before a disaster. Homeowners policies do not cover flooding, and a new policy typically takes up to 30 days to go into effect.
  • Make a household plan with evacuation routes, shelter locations and what to do in a flash flood.
  • Keep important documents in a waterproof container and make password-protected digital copies.

During

  • If you are told to evacuate, leave right away and never drive around barricades.
  • Do not walk, swim or drive through floodwater. Six inches of moving water can knock you down.
  • If you are trapped in a building, go to the highest level, but do not climb into a closed attic.

Source: Ready.gov, floods

Questions people ask

Is Tuolumne County at risk of flooding?
FEMA rates inland flooding risk Relatively Moderate compared with other US counties, with Expected Annual Loss of $18.6 million a year[14]. OpenFEMA records 20 NFIP claims for losses from 1978 to 2026[3].
Is Tuolumne County at risk of wildfire?
FEMA rates wildfire risk Relatively High compared with other US counties, with a score of 99.3 out of 100[8]. Wildfire has the largest Expected Annual Loss of any hazard in the county at $27.3 million a year[7].
Does Tuolumne County get tornadoes?
FEMA rates tornado risk Very Low compared with other US counties[23]. NOAA's tornado database records 1 tornado from 1950 to 2024, rated EF1[4].
How many disasters have been declared in Tuolumne County?
OpenFEMA lists 20 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include the county since 1964[2].
How do I check a flood zone?
Flood zones apply to specific properties. Look up an address in FEMA's Flood Map Service Center or ask the local floodplain manager[26].

Facts and sources

  1. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards in Tuolumne County is $50.6 million a year (Expected Annual Loss rating Relatively Low, score 83.9). Of this, buildings account for $45.4 million, injuries and deaths (converted to dollars by FEMA) for $4.5... FEMA National Risk Index
  2. OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries list 20 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Tuolumne County since 1964 (14 major disaster, 6 emergency or fire management). By incident type: flood 7, severe storm 6, fire 5, hurricane 1, drought 1. Biological (such as COVID-19) and other... OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations
  3. HazardFacts tally of OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims (losses from 1978 to 2026): 20 National Flood Insurance Program claims were filed for losses in Tuolumne County, 12 of them with a payment, and NFIP paid $309,000 in total (building, contents and increased cost of compliance, in dollars of the year paid). Years... OpenFEMA NFIP claims
  4. NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950 to 2024): 1 recorded tornadoes touched Tuolumne County. The strongest were rated EF1 (most recent of them on 2023-03-11). 0 were rated F3/EF3 or stronger. The most recent recorded tornado was on 2023-03-11. Ratings used the Fujita scale until early 2007 and the... NOAA Storm Prediction Center
  5. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): the overall natural hazard Risk Index rating for Tuolumne County is Relatively Moderate, with a Risk Index score of 85.2 out of 100. The score is the county's percentile rank among all US counties. FEMA National Risk Index
  6. Among the 18 hazards in the FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), the hazards with the highest hazard-type Risk Index scores for Tuolumne County are wildfire (99.3, Relatively High), landslide (91.1, Relatively Moderate), heat wave (89.0, Relatively Moderate). HazardFacts sorted FEMA's published... FEMA National Risk Index
  7. HazardFacts sorted FEMA's hazard-type Expected Annual Loss values for Tuolumne County (National Risk Index v1.20): the largest are wildfire ($27.3 million a year), inland flooding ($18.6 million a year), heat wave ($2.5 million a year), out of $50.6 million a year from all 18 hazards. FEMA National Risk Index
  8. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), wildfire in Tuolumne County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 99.3 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $27.3 million a year (rating Relatively High). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0124 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  9. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Social Vulnerability rating for Tuolumne County is Relatively Moderate (score 53.4). FEMA describes social vulnerability as how susceptible social groups are to the harm natural hazards cause. FEMA National Risk Index
  10. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Community Resilience rating for Tuolumne County is Relatively Moderate (score 49.1). FEMA describes community resilience as a community's ability to prepare for, withstand and recover from hazards. FEMA National Risk Index
  11. FEMA's National Risk Index FAQ (December 2025): Expected Annual Loss is FEMA's estimate of the average economic loss in dollars from natural hazards each year. The index is not meant to predict how much damage a community will have in the next year, and a hazard can still cause damage where a rating is low. Scores... FEMA National Risk Index documentation
  12. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), landslide in Tuolumne County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 91.1 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $59,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). FEMA National Risk Index
  13. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), heat wave in Tuolumne County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 89.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $2.5 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 3.35 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of... FEMA National Risk Index
  14. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), inland flooding in Tuolumne County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 81.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $18.6 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 0.96 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of... FEMA National Risk Index
  15. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), drought in Tuolumne County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 74.1 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $595,000 a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 90.68 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 22... FEMA National Risk Index
  16. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), lightning in Tuolumne County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 73.4 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $501,000 a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 20.27 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 24 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  17. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), earthquake in Tuolumne County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 71.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $769,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0173 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  18. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), winter weather in Tuolumne County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 64.3 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $95,000 a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 33.02 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18... FEMA National Risk Index
  19. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), volcanic activity in Tuolumne County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 61.5 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $39 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA National Risk Index
  20. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), avalanche in Tuolumne County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 58.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1,196 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.03 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 28 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  21. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), strong wind in Tuolumne County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 14.1 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $104,000 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.05 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  22. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hail in Tuolumne County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 10.2 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $29,000 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.11 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 37 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  23. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), tornado in Tuolumne County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 7.8 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $38,000 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.13 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  24. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025) rates these hazards Not Applicable for Tuolumne County: coastal flooding, hurricane, ice storm, tsunami. FEMA uses Not Applicable when its source data has no historical record of the hazard in the community and the hazard is not considered geographically... FEMA National Risk Index documentation
  25. NFIP Residential Penetration Rates (OpenFEMA, as of 2026-08-03): 36 residential flood insurance contracts were in force in Tuolumne County, out of 26,609 residential structures, a penetration rate of 0.1%. Inside FEMA's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area there were 54 residential structures and 13 contracts, a rate... OpenFEMA NFIP penetration rates
  26. FEMA's Flood Map Service Center is the official public source for flood maps (Flood Insurance Rate Maps) produced under the National Flood Insurance Program. Flood zones apply to specific properties: look up an address there or ask the local floodplain manager. County-level ratings do not tell you the flood zone of... FEMA Flood Map Service Center
  27. Most recent federal disaster declarations for natural hazards (table on this page). OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations

FEMA's National Risk Index compares each county with all other US counties. Ratings are relative (Very Low to Very High), not a measure of safety. Never call a place safe, unsafe, good or bad to live in. Risk Index and Expected Annual Loss values are FEMA estimates for planning. They do not predict next year's losses and do not apply to a single property. Flood zones are set by FEMA flood maps for specific properties. County ratings and flood insurance counts do not tell anyone whether an address is in a flood zone. Disaster declaration, NFIP and tornado counts are records of the past for this county only. Do not compare with other counties unless a fact does.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Risk Index Dataset: National Risk Index Counties, v1.20 (December 2025). Retrieved from fema.maps.arcgis.com on October 30, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s). This product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA.