Photo: Chris Woodrich · CC BY-SA 4.0Hazards in South Cameron: wildfire low, radon over the guideline in 14% of tested homes
Burn scars are few around South Cameron, with 0.2% of the land within 25 km touched by fire since 1986 (0.008% a year). Seismic risk in South Cameron sits near the middle: $0.019 of expected damage per $1,000 of buildings a year, the typical town $0.030. South Cameron grades C+ for hazard risk, with wildfire counted against it.
What stands out about South Cameron’s hazards
For South Cameron, from NRCan’s seismic model, Health Canada’s radon survey, the national burned-area record and the flood map inventory.
What South Cameron faces
Each hazard against its own yardstick; meters run from low to high on that yardstick.
Wildfire
Earthquakes
Radon
Flood study
Hazard risk in South Cameron: C+
The grade weighs South Cameron’s seismic risk and radon equally, and wildfire is one-sided: a high band counts against a town, a low one earns nothing.
Its place: #682 of 866 in Ontario and #1,870 of 2,589 Canadian towns.
How sure: The seismic figure is a long-run average from NRCan’s model, not a prediction. The burned-area record misses fires under about 10 ha and most grass and farm fires.
Little of the land around South Cameron has burned: 1.6% within 5 km, 0.2% within 25 km since 1986
Fires mapped since 1986 around where South Cameron’s residents live, and the fuel next to their homes.
Fire claims 0.008% of the land around South Cameron each year, a low band, with the typical Canadian town at 0.000%.
Little near South Cameron’s homes can carry a forest fire; only 0.1% of the land within 5 km is forest fuel, and 0.3% within 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 Ontario · highest of 871
In the top quarter in Ontario: South Cameron ranks 26th of 871 at 0.008% a year, with Sioux Lookout first at 0.16%.
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.
The low band takes in 92% of Canada’s 2,610 towns, South Cameron among them, though its rate is above zero; 7.5% rank 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.
The flood map inventory lists nothing for South Cameron
Flood studies whose area touches South Cameron, from NRCan’s inventory, each linked to its owner.
No flood study on the national inventory covers South Cameron; ask the municipality, which is the authority for its flood maps.
Towns with a flood study on file
Missing from a well-mapped province: South Cameron has no study, where 69% of towns in Ontario have one against 58% nationally.
NRCan Canada Flood Map Inventory: a study footprint touching the town’s boundary; towns of 2,500 people or more.
The grade leaves flood out, since a study area says nothing about how many of South Cameron’s homes are at risk.
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.”
Ordinary seismic risk in South Cameron: $0.019 per $1,000 of buildings a year
NRCan’s seismic risk model: the damage shaking is expected to do to buildings each year, on average over many years.
Nothing unusual about South Cameron’s ground: $0.019 against a typical $0.030, 0.6 times.
Shaking damage a year per $1,000 of building value
The typical town in Ontario expects $0.043 a year in shaking damage; South Cameron expects less, $0.019, and Alexandria the most, $0.21.
NRCan seismic risk model (2022): mean yearly building loss per $1,000 of value; medians of towns of 2,500 people or more.
South Cameron is in the lower part of Canada’s range for earthquake risk; 66% of the 2,611 towns are higher.
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).
Only shaking damage to buildings in South Cameron is counted; landslides, liquefaction, tsunami and fire after a quake aren’t.
Natural Resources Canada, Canada’s Seismic Risk Model (2022), by census subdivision (2016 boundaries; a few 2021 subdivisions take their residents’ mean). · Data for earthquake risk covers the city of Windsor
Radon runs high around South Cameron: 14% of tested homes over the guideline
Health Canada’s survey of long-term home tests: the share above the 200 Bq/m³ guideline.
South Cameron’s survey area reads 14% over the guideline, well past the typical Canadian town’s 6.6%. South Cameron doesn’t get its own radon tests figures; the ones here come from the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.
Tested homes over 200 Bq/m³
Over 600 Bq/m³
Radon runs higher around South Cameron than in most towns in Ontario: 14% over the guideline (4% is typical), 1% over 600.
Health Canada radon survey (2009–2011), by 2007 health region; medians of towns of 2,500 people or more.
4.6% of Canada’s 2,611 towns have a higher share of homes over 200 Bq/m³ than South Cameron, in the 10–20% band with 22%.
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.
Neighbouring homes in South Cameron can differ a lot; only a long-term test tells you about yours.
Health Canada, Cross-Canada Survey of Radon Concentrations in Homes (2009–2011).
Where to get warnings in South Cameron
Environment and Climate Change Canada issues the weather alerts for South Cameron; 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. |
In fire season, check CWFIS for danger and active fires around South Cameron, and listen to local authorities for orders.
Weather alerts (ECCC) · Alert Ready · Fire danger and active fires (CWFIS)
Hazards in the places around South Cameron
The same four hazards for the places next door.
| Town | Wildfire | Quake $/1,000 | Radon | Flood study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Cameron | Low | $0.019 | 14% | None listed |
| South Central 10,392 · 2.0 km | Low | $0.019 | 14% | None listed |
| Sandwich 14,110 · 2.3 km | Low | $0.019 | 14% | Yes |
| River West 13,940 · 2.7 km | Low | $0.019 | 14% | Yes |
| South Windsor 15,896 · 2.9 km | Low | $0.019 | 14% | Yes |
| City Centre 10,269 · 3.3 km | Low | $0.019 | 14% | Yes |
| Remington Park 5,783 · 3.3 km | Low | $0.019 | 14% | None listed |
The fire record around River West is a touch heavier than South Cameron’s, but the band is the same: low (here low).
Radon is the survey area’s figure, so neighbours in one area share it.
Get ready for what South Cameron faces
What to do about the hazards South Cameron faces, and what to ask before you buy.
- 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.
- Clear needles and wood nearby.
- Keep a grab-and-go bag ready.
- In smoke, stay in; filter air.
- Has it had a radon test?
- Ask the municipality for flood maps.
- Are flood and wildfire insured?
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Radon is a survey. The radon share comes from about 14,000 long-term home tests in 2009–2011, pooled for now by the 2007 health region South Cameron sits in.
- Earthquakes are modelled. The earthquake figure is an expected loss, not a forecast, worked out by NRCan for each census subdivision, South Cameron’s included.
- Flood studies aren’t flood zones. A study’s area can be a whole watershed or province, so being on the inventory says a map exists, not that a home in South Cameron floods.
- Wildfire counts one way. Burned land within 25 km of where people live, averaged over 1986–2025 and checked for fuel near homes, is the measure; it looks back, not ahead, and only ever counts against South Cameron.
Questions about flooding and hazards in South Cameron
How is South Cameron’s Hazard risk Grade worked out?
South Cameron’s Hazard risk grade is C+, built on earthquakes and radon with a one-sided wildfire input.
Is radon a problem in South Cameron?
In Health Canada’s survey, 14% of 195 homes tested in South Cameron’s area were above 200 Bq/m³, though only a test tells you about one house.
Does South Cameron flood?
Nothing is listed for South Cameron on the national inventory (0); local maps may still exist with the municipality.
Is South Cameron at risk of wildfire?
Less than most of Canada: 0.2% of the land within 25 km of South Cameron has burned since 1986, the last in 2010, a low band that leaves Risk alone.
How big is the earthquake risk in South Cameron?
Expected earthquake damage in South Cameron comes to $0.019 a year for each $1,000 that buildings are worth.
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).