This High Desert community has an elevation (city hall) at above sea level. Snowfall occurs almost annually whenever the snow level drops to elevations under . The area's terrain is prone to wildfires (such as the Pioneertown fire in July 2006), resulting from plant growth during the rainy seasons and flash floods. The plants within the town and among the chaparral in the mountains outside of the San Bernardino National Forest wilt and perish from the summer heat, providing ample fuel during a fire.