FEMA rates relative drought risk for Santa Barbara County as very high and reports FEMA annualized frequency of 60.458 per year for the area.
FEMA summary
FEMA's profile for Santa Barbara County reports FEMA annualized frequency of 60.458 per year for drought. FEMA's relative risk rating for the area is very high; the annualized frequency is a separate measure.
Hazard metrics cover FEMA county-equivalent geographies rather than individual addresses or parcels. Use local or state hazard maps before making a property, insurance, retrofit, or evacuation decision.
Select a hazard to inspect FEMA's figures for Santa Barbara County.
Drought
FEMA combines its area-wide loss estimate and community data in this relative rating. Event frequency appears separately below.
Relative FEMA score
100.0/100
Occurrence thresholds vary by hazard. The FEMA methodology defines the value for each hazard.
The area loss estimate combines FEMA's modeled losses to buildings, population, and agriculture across Santa Barbara County. It is not an estimate for a home or address.
City risk summary
For Santa Barbara, FEMA rates drought risk for Santa Barbara County as very high, with a relative score of 100.0/100. The next highest relative scores are wildfire at 99.5/100 and earthquake at 99.1/100.
Using FEMA data for Santa Barbara County, Santa Barbara is tied #1 among 111 covered California entries for drought risk; 2 entries share that score. San Buenaventura is about 30 straight-line miles from the Santa Barbara map point; its FEMA figures cover Ventura County.
For homeowners and movers
Preparedness actions
Living in Santa Barbara? Learn how to handle water storage, sanitation, and security in a small space.
The map shows Santa Barbara. All FEMA figures on this page cover Santa Barbara County.
The FEMA figures cover Santa Barbara County. Address-level conditions require local maps, building records, and property details.
FEMA rates relative drought risk for Santa Barbara County as very high. Its FEMA annualized frequency is 60.458 per year. Damage at a specific address also depends on the building, soil, elevation, and exact hazard zone.
Among 111 California cities covered by this directory, Santa Barbara is Tied #1 for relative drought risk based on FEMA's score for Santa Barbara County. 2 covered cities share this rank because they use the same FEMA geography. Homes within Santa Barbara can have different soil, elevation, construction, and hazard-zone conditions.
In FEMA's data for Santa Barbara County, the highest relative ratings are Drought (Very High), Wildfire (Relatively High), and Earthquake (Relatively High). FEMA uses estimated losses and community data along with event frequency when assigning these ratings.
The hazard numbers cover Santa Barbara County. For an individual home, check local fault, flood, fire, evacuation, and building records for the exact address.
FEMA gives Santa Barbara County an overall relative risk rating of relatively high. Conditions at a specific home depend on its hazard zones, building type, maintenance, insurance, and access to evacuation routes and emergency services.
Start with this step: Confirm the exact hazard using official local maps before making property or insurance decisions. Know how local officials issue warnings and evacuation instructions. Use Ready.gov Be Informed and local emergency guidance for a complete plan.
Distances are measured between city coordinates.
| City | Distance | Drought rating | Relative score |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Buenaventura, CA | 30 mi | Relatively Moderate | 97.7 |
| Oxnard, CA | 35 mi | Relatively Moderate | 97.7 |
| Thousand Oaks, CA | 51 mi | Relatively Moderate | 97.7 |
| Santa Maria, CA | 54 mi | Very High | 100.0 |
| Simi Valley, CA | 57 mi | Relatively Moderate | 97.7 |
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View productHazard metrics come from FEMA National Risk Index v1.19.0 (March 2023). City population and coordinates come from SimpleMaps US Cities Database. For current conditions, use official local maps, warnings, inspections, and professional advice.