United States Fire Statistics

According to the United States Fire Administration (USFA), the United States has a severe fire dilemma that is more so than what is generally perceived. Nationally, there are millions of fires, thousands of deaths, tens of thousands of injuries, and billions of dollars lost - which makes the U.S. fire problem one of great national importance.

In 2005 there were 1,602,000 fires in the United States. Fifty percent of those fires were outside and other fires. Over thirty-one percent were structure fires. And eighteen percent were vehicle fires. The result of those fires were 3,675 deaths and 17,925 burn injuries.

The following table shows the number of fires, deaths, injuries and dollar loss in the United States from 1994 to 2003.

National
Year Fires Deaths Injuries Direct Dollar Loss In Millions
1994 2,054,500 4,275 27,250 $8,630
1995 1,965,500 4,585 25,775 $9,182
1996 1,975,000 4,990 25,550 $9,406
1997 1,795,000 4,050 23,750 $8,525
1998 1,755,000 4,035 23,100 $8,629
1999 1,823,000 3,570 21,875 $10,024
2000 1,708,000 4,045 22350 $11,207
2001¹ 1,734,500 3,745 20,300 $10,583
2001² 1,734,500 2,451 800 $33,440
2002 1,687,500 3,380 18,425 $10,337
2003 1,584,500 3,925 18,125 $12,307

¹  Excludes the events of September 11, 2001.

²  These estimates reflect the number of deaths, injuries and dollar loss directly related to the events of September 11, 2001.

Where Fires Occurred - 2003

  • There were 1,584,500 fires in the United States. Of these:
    • 47.5% were Outside and Other Fires
    • 32.8% were Structure Fires
    • 19.7% were Vehicle Fires
  • Residential fires represented 25.4 percent of all fires and 77.4 percent of structure fires.
  • The South had the highest fire death rate per-capita with 16.4 civilian deaths per million population.
  • 80 percent of all civilian fire fatalities occurred in the home, where home is defined as one- and two-family dwellings and apartments. Of those, approximately 87 percent occurred in single-family homes and duplexes.
  • Intentionally set structure fires represented 8.0% of all structure property loss.
  • 30,500 intentionally set vehicle fires occurred, causing an estimated $132 million in property damage.

Source: National Fire Protection Association Fire Loss in the U.S. During 2003

The table below shows the number of fires, deaths, injuries and dollar loss in the United States from 1977 to 2007.

National
Year  Fires  Civilian deaths  Civilian injuries Firefighter deaths   Firefighter injuries  Direct property damage 
(in billions)
As reported 		Direct property damage 
(in billions)
In 2007 dollars
1977  3,264,000  7,395  31,190  157  112,540  $4.7 $16.1
1978  2,817,500  7,710  29,825  173 101,100  $4.5 $14.3
1979  2,845,500  7,575  31,325  125  95,780  $5.8 $16.5
1980  2,988,000  6,505  30,200  138  98,070  $6.3 $15.8
1981  2,893,500  6,700  30,450  136  103,340  $6.7 $15.2
1982  2,538,000  6,020  30,525  128 98,150  $6.4 $13.8
1983  2,326,500  5,920  31,275  113  103,150  $6.6 $13.7
1984  2,343,000  5,240  28,125  119  102,300  $6.7 $13.4
1985  2,371,000  6,185  28,425  128  100,900  $7.3 $14.1
1986  2,271,500  5,850  26,825  120  96,450  $6.7 $12.7
1987  2,330,000  5,810  28,215  132  102,600  $7.2 $13.1
1988  2,436,500  6,215  30,800  136  102,900  $8.4 $14.7
1989  2,115,000  5,410  28,250  118  100,700  $8.7 $14.5
1990  2,019,000  5,195  28,600  108  100,300  $7.8 $12.4
1991  2,041,500  4,465  29,375  108  103,300  $9.5 $14.4
1992  1,964,500  4,730  28,700  75  97,700  $8.3 $12.3
1993  1,952,500  4,635  30,475  79  101,500  $8.5 $12.3
1994  2,054,500  4,275  27,250  105  95,400  $8.2 $11.4
1995  1,965,500  4,585  25,775  97  94,500  $8.9 $12.1
1996  1,975,000  4,990  25,550  96  87,150  $9.4 $12.5
1997  1,795,000  4,050  23,750 99  85,400  $8.5 $11.0
1998  1,755,500  4,035  23,100  91  87,500  $8.6 $11.0
1999  1,823,000  3,570  21,875  112  88,500  $10.0 $12.5
2000  1,708,000  4,045  22,350  103  84,550  $11.2 $13.5
2001  1,734,500  6,1961  21,1002  4433  82,250  $44.04   $51.64
2002  1,687,500  3,380  18,425  97  80,800  $10.3 $11.9
2003  1,584,500  3,925  18,125  105  78,750  $12.3 $13.95
2004  1,550,500  3,900  17,875 104 75,840 $9.8 $10.8
2005 1,602,000 3,675 17,925 87 80,100 $10.7 $11.3
2006 1,642,500 3,245 16,400 89 83,400  $11.3 $14.66
2007 1,557,500 3,430 17,675 102 TBA $14.66 $14.66

1 Includes 2,451 civilian deaths that occurred from the events of 9/11/01.
2 Includes 800 civilian injuries that occurred from the events of 9/11/01.
3 Includes 340 firefighters at the World Trade Center, September 11, 2001.
4 Includes $33.44 billion in property loss that occurred from the events of 9/11/01.
5 Includes the Southern California Wildfires (Cedar and Old Wildfires) with an estimated total property loss of $2,040,000,000.  Loss by specific property type for this fire was not available.
6 This includes the California Fire Storm 2007 with an estimated property damage of $1.8 billion.

Direct property damage figures do not include indirect losses, like business interruption. Inflation adjustment to 2007 dollars is done using the consumer price index.

Source:  NFPA survey, NFPA’s Fire Incident Data Organization (FIDO).
 

Where Fires Occurred - 2007

  • There were 1,557,500 fires in the United States. Of these:
    • 5% decreasa compaired to 2006
    • 3,430 civilian fire related deaths
    • 17,675 civilian fire relate injuries
    • 78% were Structure Residential Fires
    • 14.6 million dollars worth of property damage
    • The fire department responded every 20 seconds
  • 84 percent of all fire fatalities occurred in the home, where home is defined as one- and two-family dwellings and apartments.
  • 2,865 civilian fire deaths occurred in homes. That is an increase of 11%.
  • Nationwide there was a civilian fire death every 153 minutes.
  • Compared to 2006 there was a 7% drop in the number of vehicle fires in 2007
  • Compared to 2006 there was a 6% drop in the number of outside and other fire in 2007
Source: National Fire Protection Association Fire Loss in the U.S. During 2005 Abridged Report.

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