[Map] California’s Wildfire vs Earthquake Risk

When it comes to large-scale disasters, California has long been synonymous with earthquakes.  Estimates say that there are as many as 10,000 earthquakes occur each year in Southern California alone. 

However, over the last decade, wildfires have joined the conversation.  Each year, it seems, wildfire season becomes more and more devastating.  This year has been no exception.  In 2021, wildfires continued to ravage communities across California. Recently, the Dixie Fire became the state’s second-largest wildfire on record – second only to the August Complex of 2020.  

While both disasters seemed to strike with increasing frequency, which areas are residents at highest risk for each? 

After examining hazard assessment data from both the California Department of Conservation and CALFIRE, we mapped the risk for each.  

As it turns out, 66 percent of Californians live in areas that are considered to be high risk for earthquakes, while around 10 percent live in high-risk areas for wildfire.  Six percent of the population lives in areas that are considered high-risk of both. 

Earthquake and Wildfire Risk for California’s 20 Largest Cities

Additionally, 576 cities fall into the high-risk category for earthquakes, 267 California cities fall into the high-risk category for wildfires and 97 cities have a high risk of both.

Cities with High Wildfire Risk and High Earthquake Risk