Shaking costs buildings in Musqueam 2 $0.60 a year per $1,000 of value, 20 times the typical town’s
Fire seldom reaches Musqueam 2: since 1986, 0.2% of the land within 25 km has burned (0.005% a year). In Health Canada’s survey, just 1.2% of homes tested in the area exceeded 200 Bq/m³ (6.6% typical). Hazard risk gives Musqueam 2 a grade of B−; its wildfire band pulls it down.
What stands out about Musqueam 2’s hazards
Four national sources, each read for Musqueam 2: earthquakes, radon, past fires and flood studies.
What Musqueam 2 faces
Each hazard against its own yardstick; meters run from low to high on that yardstick.
Wildfire
Earthquakes
Radon
Flood study
Musqueam 2 grades B− for hazard risk
For Musqueam 2, Risk will be the average of earthquakes and radon, with wildfire added only if it makes the average worse.
How sure: Earthquake losses are a model’s expectation over many years, not a forecast for any one. Small fires and grass fires are largely missing from the national burned-area record.
Few fires near Musqueam 2: 0% within 5 km, 0.2% within 25 km
Past fire around Musqueam 2’s homes, from the national burned-area record, with the fuel within 5 km.
At 0.005% of the land a year, Musqueam 2’s burn rate is in the low band; the typical Canadian town sees 0.000%.
No fire has burned within 5 km of Musqueam 2’s homes since 1986; the nearest burn is 8.7 km away.
Forest fuel covers 12% of the land close to Musqueam 2 and 34% across 25 km.
Shares of land within 5 and 25 km of populated blocks: burned at least once in 1986–2025 (CWFIS burned-area composite), forest fuel and grass (fire behaviour fuel types, 2026, 250 m grid).
Burn rate a year, towns in British Columbia · highest of 256
Musqueam 2 burns at 0.005% a year, 121st of 256 towns in British Columbia; the leader, Oliver, reaches 0.98%.
Each bar: the yearly average share of land within 25 km of a town’s homes that burned, 1986–2025 (CWFIS); the seven highest towns of 2,500 people or more.
Musqueam 2 is in the low band with 92% of Canada’s 2,610 towns; 7.5% sit in moderate or higher.
Bands of the yearly burn rate: low under 0.05%, moderate under 0.25%, high under 1%, very high 1% or more; towns of 2,500 people or more.
Fire danger and active fires (CWFIS)
Canadian Wildland Fire Information System: National Burned Area Composite 1986–2025 and fire behaviour fuel types (2026), Natural Resources Canada. Measured within 25 km and 5 km of each populated dissemination area; past fire, not a forecast.
Musqueam 2 is on the flood map inventory: 1 study, by City of Vancouver
What Canada’s Flood Map Inventory lists for Musqueam 2: who studied flooding and where to see their maps.
A 2014 study by City of Vancouver covers Musqueam 2, and its map, not the inventory, shows the zones.
| Study | By | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Vancouver Coastal Flood Risk Assessment | City of Vancouver | 2014 | final |
Towns with a flood study on file
Musqueam 2 is one of the 76% of towns in British Columbia with a flood study on file; across Canada it is 58%.
NRCan Canada Flood Map Inventory: a study footprint touching the town’s boundary; towns of 2,500 people or more.
Nothing here counts toward Risk; the studies are pointers to the maps their owners keep for Musqueam 2.
The inventory’s own caution (NRCan): “The Canada Flood Map (CFM) does not include every flood hazard map in Canada and may be incomplete or contain inaccuracies. It should not be relied upon as the official source of flood mapping information. Furthermore, if a map appears to be missing, this does not necessarily mean that the area has never been mapped. For the official version of a map, updated information, or confirmation of applicable regulations, please contact the local authority responsible for flood mapping.”
Natural Resources Canada, Canada Flood Map Inventory; links go to each study’s owner.
High seismic risk in Musqueam 2: $0.60 per $1,000 of buildings a year
Expected yearly building losses from earthquakes, from Natural Resources Canada’s model.
Musqueam 2’s $0.60 is about 20 times the typical town’s $0.030: it sits in one of Canada’s more active seismic zones.
Shaking damage a year per $1,000 of building value
Musqueam 2’s $0.60 tops the median in British Columbia, $0.36, though Duncan reaches $1.33.
NRCan seismic risk model (2022): mean yearly building loss per $1,000 of value; medians of towns of 2,500 people or more.
Only 0.8% of Canada’s 2,611 towns expect more shaking damage than Musqueam 2.
Each column: the share of Canada’s towns of 2,500 people or more in that range of yearly loss per $1,000 (NRCan, 2022).
Roads, pipes and bridges aren’t in Musqueam 2’s figure, nor landslides or tsunami: it is buildings and shaking.
Natural Resources Canada, Canada’s Seismic Risk Model (2022), by census subdivision (2016 boundaries; a few 2021 subdivisions take their residents’ mean).
1.2% of homes tested around Musqueam 2 are over the radon guideline
Long-term radon tests in homes across the survey area, against Health Canada’s guideline.
Musqueam 2’s survey area reads 1.2% over the guideline, under the typical Canadian town’s 6.6%. Musqueam 2 doesn’t get its own radon tests figures; the ones here come from the Vancouver health region.
Tested homes over 200 Bq/m³
Over 600 Bq/m³
Musqueam 2’s area, at 1.2%, is below the median in British Columbia (1.8%).
Health Canada radon survey (2009–2011), by 2007 health region; medians of towns of 2,500 people or more.
Under 5% puts Musqueam 2 with 37% of Canada’s 2,611 towns; 63% have more high tests.
Each bar: the share of Canada’s towns of 2,500 people or more whose survey area had that share of tests over 200 Bq/m³.
The survey sampled homes around Musqueam 2; it can’t tell you your basement’s level.
Health Canada, Cross-Canada Survey of Radon Concentrations in Homes (2009–2011).
Weather and fire alerts for Musqueam 2
Environment and Climate Change Canada issues the weather alerts for Musqueam 2; Alert Ready carries the urgent ones to phones, radio and TV.
| Alert | What it means |
|---|---|
| Warning | Severe weather is happening or about to: act now. |
| Watch | Conditions favour severe weather: be ready. |
| Advisory | Weather that is less severe but could disrupt the day. |
| Special weather statement | Unusual weather worth knowing about. |
| Special air quality statement | Poor air, often wildfire smoke. |
For fires near Musqueam 2, the national fire information system maps danger and active fires daily; local authorities give any evacuation order.
Weather alerts (ECCC) · Alert Ready · Fire danger and active fires (CWFIS)
How Musqueam 2’s neighbours compare on hazards
Wildfire band, earthquake risk, radon and flood studies for each place nearby.
| Town | Wildfire | Quake $/1,000 | Radon | Flood study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Musqueam 2 | Low | $0.60 | 1.2% | Yes |
| Dunbar-Southlands 21,117 · 2.3 km | Low | $0.43 | 1.2% | Yes |
| Kerrisdale 14,105 · 3.4 km | Low | $0.43 | 1.2% | Yes |
| Arbutus Ridge 15,083 · 3.7 km | Low | $0.43 | 1.2% | Yes |
| West Point Grey 13,429 · 3.8 km | Low | $0.43 | 1.2% | Yes |
| Electoral Area A, Metro Vancouver 22,031 · 4.3 km | Low | $0.26 | 1.2% | Yes |
| Greektown 16,618 · 4.5 km | Low | $0.43 | 1.2% | Yes |
Fire is no heavier anywhere nearby than around Musqueam 2 (low), with Dunbar-Southlands next at low.
Radon is the survey area’s figure, so neighbours in one area share it.
Get ready for what Musqueam 2 faces
Practical steps for Musqueam 2’s hazards, most pressing first.
- Test for three months in winter.
- Over 200 Bq/m³: fix it.
- Kits are cheap; pros test too.
- Never drive through floodwater.
- Move papers and medicines upstairs.
- Ask whether your street is mapped.
- Drop, cover and hold on.
- Strap the water heater down.
- Keep 72 hours of supplies.
- Has it had a radon test?
- Check the address on the flood map.
- Are flood and wildfire insured?
- Is earthquake cover included?
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Earthquakes are modelled. NRCan models what earthquakes would cost buildings each year on average, subdivision by subdivision; Musqueam 2’s figure is its subdivision’s.
- Radon is a survey. Health Canada’s survey tested some 14,000 homes over three months; until postal-area boundaries are loaded, Musqueam 2 takes its 2007 health region’s share.
- Wildfire counts one way. Wildfire is read from the national burned-area record around Musqueam 2’s homes since 1986, a history of fire that may lower Risk but never raises it.
- Flood studies aren’t flood zones. The flood inventory points to maps; it is incomplete and not the official source, so ask the municipality about any street in Musqueam 2.
Questions about flooding and hazards in Musqueam 2
How big is the earthquake risk in Musqueam 2?
NRCan’s model expects shaking to cost buildings in Musqueam 2 $0.60 a year for every $1,000 of their value, on average over many years.
Does Musqueam 2 flood?
The inventory lists a study touching Musqueam 2; whether a given street floods is on that map, not in the grade.
Is radon a problem in Musqueam 2?
1.2% of the 83 homes Health Canada tested around Musqueam 2 topped the guideline; your own house needs its own test.
How is Musqueam 2’s Hazard risk Grade worked out?
Musqueam 2 grades B− for hazard risk, from earthquakes and radon, with wildfire counted only where it lowers the grade.
Is Musqueam 2 at risk of wildfire?
Not much by Canadian standards: Musqueam 2’s band is low, with 0.2% of the land within 25 km burned since 1986 (last in 2018), so wildfire doesn’t change its grade.
Seismic risk: Natural Resources Canada. Radon: Health Canada. Wildfire: Canadian Wildland Fire Information System. Flood studies: Natural Resources Canada, Canada Flood Map Inventory. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
Sources: NRCan, Canada’s Seismic Risk Model 2022 · Health Canada, Cross-Canada Survey of Radon Concentrations in Homes · CWFIS, National Burned Area Composite and FBP fuel types · NRCan, Canada Flood Map Inventory. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).