GITNUXREPORT 2026

Fire Statistics

Fire remains a devastating global threat that is intensifying in scale and cost each year.

Gitnux Team

Expert team of market researchers and data analysts.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

Our Commitment to Accuracy

Rigorous fact-checking · Reputable sources · Regular updatesLearn more

Statistic 1

U.S. fires caused $15.9 billion property damage in 2022

Statistic 2

Wildfires cost U.S. $94 billion in 2022 damages and suppression

Statistic 3

Global wildfire economic loss: $150 billion yearly average

Statistic 4

Home fire property loss: $8.8 billion in 2022 U.S.

Statistic 5

Insurance payouts for California wildfires 2018: $16.5 billion

Statistic 6

U.S. fire suppression costs rose 188% from 2001-2021

Statistic 7

Vehicle fire damage: $1.9 billion annually U.S.

Statistic 8

Business interruption from fires: $2.5 billion yearly U.S.

Statistic 9

Australia 2019-20 bushfires: AUD 100 billion total cost

Statistic 10

Timber loss from wildfires: $1.2 billion U.S. 2022

Statistic 11

Health costs from wildfire smoke: $76 billion U.S. 2020

Statistic 12

Non-residential fire damage: $3.4 billion in 2022 U.S.

Statistic 13

Flooding post-wildfire mitigation: $500 million annually U.S.

Statistic 14

Crop loss from ag fires: $800 million yearly U.S.

Statistic 15

Tourism loss from wildfires: $1 billion in affected areas yearly

Statistic 16

Rebuilding costs post-structure fire: average $250,000 per home

Statistic 17

Federal wildfire aid: $5 billion in 2023 U.S.

Statistic 18

Power outage costs from fires: $2 billion annually U.S.

Statistic 19

Livestock loss: 10,000 animals yearly U.S. wildfires, $50 million

Statistic 20

Erosion control post-fire: $300 million U.S. yearly

Statistic 21

Insurance premium hikes post-wildfire: 20% average in high-risk areas

Statistic 22

Water supply contamination cleanup: $100 million after major fires

Statistic 23

U.S. fires caused 3,870 civilian deaths in 2022, 49% in homes

Statistic 24

Home fires killed 2,669 civilians in 2022 U.S., 84% of total deaths

Statistic 25

Fire injuries totaled 16,500 in U.S. 2022, with 72% from home fires

Statistic 26

Wildfires caused 18 U.S. civilian deaths in 2022, up from 10 in 2021

Statistic 27

85% of fire deaths occur in homes without working smoke alarms

Statistic 28

African Americans face 2.2 times higher home fire death rate

Statistic 29

Children under 5: 11% of home fire deaths despite 5% population

Statistic 30

Elderly over 65: 23% of home fire deaths

Statistic 31

Males account for 69% of fire deaths

Statistic 32

Smoke inhalation causes 50-80% of fire fatalities

Statistic 33

2023 Canadian wildfires displaced 200,000 people, 0 direct deaths

Statistic 34

Australia Black Summer 2019-20: 33 direct deaths, 445 indirect

Statistic 35

U.S. firefighter line-of-duty deaths: 81 in 2022, 40% medical

Statistic 36

Burns affect 1.1 million people yearly globally, 180,000 deaths

Statistic 37

Home oxygen equipment involved in 100 deaths yearly U.S.

Statistic 38

Confined spaces cause 40% of industrial fire deaths

Statistic 39

Nighttime fires (11pm-7am) cause 70% of home deaths

Statistic 40

Winter months see 30% more home fire deaths

Statistic 41

No smoke alarms in 38% of fatal home fires

Statistic 42

Alcohol involved in 40% of adult fire deaths

Statistic 43

U.S. fire death rate: 1.1 per 100,000 population in 2022

Statistic 44

Vehicle fire deaths: 360 in 2022 U.S.

Statistic 45

Wildfire evacuees suffer 20% higher PTSD rates

Statistic 46

Cooking equipment caused 49% of U.S. home fires in 2022, with 172,900 incidents

Statistic 47

Smoking materials ignited 17,000 home fires annually in the U.S., causing 540 deaths

Statistic 48

Electrical malfunctions led to 46,000 home fires yearly, 13% of all fires

Statistic 49

Heating equipment sparked 14% of home fires, 46,000 cases in 2021

Statistic 50

Candles caused 7,400 home fires annually, 3% of fires

Statistic 51

Lightning strikes ignite 10,000 U.S. wildfires yearly, 10% of total

Statistic 52

Arson accounted for 24% of structure fires, 30,400 in 2022 U.S.

Statistic 53

Human campfires cause 87% of wildfires in national forests

Statistic 54

Discarded cigarettes start 37% of smoking fires

Statistic 55

Overloaded electrical circuits cause 23% of electrical fires

Statistic 56

Grill fires total 10,600 yearly in U.S. homes

Statistic 57

Children playing with fire cause 52,000 incidents annually

Statistic 58

Dryers cause 15,500 fires yearly, lint buildup primary issue

Statistic 59

Power lines spark 11% of wildfires

Statistic 60

Alcohol impairment involved in 39% of fatal cooking fires

Statistic 61

Faulty wiring in 52% of electrical home fires

Statistic 62

Unattended incense causes 1,200 fires yearly

Statistic 63

Vehicle debris on roads ignites 800 wildfires annually

Statistic 64

Extension cords involved in 3,300 home fires yearly

Statistic 65

Mulch fires from spontaneous combustion number 500 yearly

Statistic 66

Chimney fires from creosote buildup: 21,500 annually U.S.

Statistic 67

Railroad equipment sparks 2,000 wildfires yearly

Statistic 68

Foxtail in hay causes 1% of barn fires

Statistic 69

Solar panel inverters fault in 200 electrical fires yearly

Statistic 70

E-cigarettes cause 100 fires annually from battery failures

Statistic 71

Compost piles ignite 300 fires via spontaneous combustion

Statistic 72

Gas leaks from stoves cause 4,000 explosions yearly

Statistic 73

Wildfire ember attacks start 90% of spot fires

Statistic 74

In 2022, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 1,346,000 fires, structural fires accounted for 76% of all fires, wildfires for 24%

Statistic 75

Globally, wildfires burned 4.8 million hectares in 2023, a 25% increase from 2022, primarily in Canada and Australia

Statistic 76

In California, 2023 saw 6,228 wildfires, burning over 300,000 acres by September

Statistic 77

U.S. residential building fires caused 349,500 incidents in 2021, down 4% from 2020

Statistic 78

Europe reported 12,000 forest fires in summer 2022, affecting 700,000 hectares

Statistic 79

Australia had 1,200 bushfires in 2023, with Black Summer remnants burning 18 million hectares historically

Statistic 80

In 2022, highway vehicle fires numbered 192,500 in the U.S., 16% of all fires

Statistic 81

Wildland-urban interface fires in the U.S. increased by 30% from 2010-2020, affecting 46 million homes

Statistic 82

Brazil's Amazon fires reached 30,000 in 2023, up 50% year-over-year

Statistic 83

U.K. primary fires totaled 103,000 in 2022/23, a 5% decrease

Statistic 84

Russia reported 18,000 wildfires in 2023, burning 1.8 million hectares in Siberia

Statistic 85

In 2021, U.S. non-residential building fires were 103,500, causing $1.1 billion in damage

Statistic 86

Greece experienced 1,500 wildfires in 2023, with Evia fire burning 100,000 hectares

Statistic 87

Canada had 6,800 wildfires in 2023, emitting 640 million metric tons of CO2

Statistic 88

U.S. storage fires numbered 25,500 in 2022, with 40% in warehouses

Statistic 89

Indonesia peatland fires in 2023 burned 1.2 million hectares

Statistic 90

France saw 8,500 wildfires in 2023, scorching 200,000 hectares in the south

Statistic 91

In 2020, U.S. wildfires burned 10.2 million acres, the largest on record

Statistic 92

South Africa reported 4,000 veld fires in 2023, affecting Cape Town regions

Statistic 93

Japan had 3,500 forest fires in 2022, burning 15,000 hectares

Statistic 94

U.S. public assembly fires were 11,000 in 2021

Statistic 95

Portugal wildfires in 2023 burned 75,000 hectares, up 20%

Statistic 96

Chile experienced 200 wildfires in 2023, destroying 400 homes

Statistic 97

U.S. manufacturing fires totaled 15,500 in 2022

Statistic 98

Turkey saw 3,000 wildfires in 2022, burning 170,000 hectares

Statistic 99

New Zealand bushfires numbered 1,200 in 2023

Statistic 100

U.S. utility fires were 9,500 in 2021

Statistic 101

Spain reported 15,000 fires in 2023, affecting 300,000 hectares

Statistic 102

Mexico had 5,500 wildfires in 2023, burning 800,000 hectares

Statistic 103

U.S. agriculture fires numbered 7,200 in 2022

Statistic 104

U.S. had 1.1 million firefighters in 2022, 70% volunteers

Statistic 105

U.S. fire departments: 27,498 career, 23,700 volunteer in 2022

Statistic 106

Annual U.S. fire department runs: 36.5 million in 2022

Statistic 107

Wildfire suppression employs 15,000 personnel daily peak season U.S.

Statistic 108

U.S. aerial tankers: 20 large, dropping 2,500 gallons each

Statistic 109

NFPA estimates 1 million smoke alarms needed yearly replacements

Statistic 110

U.S. fire stations: 46,000 total, average 2.6 per 1,000 fires

Statistic 111

Helicopter water drops: 1,000 gallons per load, 500 U.S. helitankers

Statistic 112

Fire engine apparatus: 750,000 total in U.S.

Statistic 113

Dozer lines built: 20,000 miles annually in U.S. wildfires

Statistic 114

U.S. wildland fire budget: $3.8 billion in 2023

Statistic 115

SCBA units: 1.2 million in use U.S. fire services

Statistic 116

Response time average: 5.8 minutes career depts, 8.9 volunteer

Statistic 117

Fire hydrants: 2.2 million public in U.S.

Statistic 118

Modular Airborne Firefighting Systems (MAFFS): 9 C-130 aircraft

Statistic 119

Training hours: 60 mandatory annually per firefighter U.S.

Statistic 120

Pumper trucks: 45,000 in U.S. inventory

Statistic 121

Retardant drops: 2 million gallons daily peak wildfire season

Statistic 122

Hazmat teams: 3,000 specialized U.S. departments

Statistic 123

Aerial infrared scanners: 10 national systems for hotspots

Statistic 124

U.S. fire service budget: $45 billion annually

Statistic 125

Rescue apparatus: 25,000 units nationwide

1/125

Sources

Trusted by 500+ publications

+497

Imagine a force so powerful that in 2022 alone, U.S. fire departments raced to over 1.3 million emergencies, a stark reminder of fire's relentless and devastating presence in our lives and landscapes.

Key Takeaways

In 2022, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 1,346,000 fires, structural fires accounted for 76% of all fires, wildfires for 24%
Globally, wildfires burned 4.8 million hectares in 2023, a 25% increase from 2022, primarily in Canada and Australia
In California, 2023 saw 6,228 wildfires, burning over 300,000 acres by September
Cooking equipment caused 49% of U.S. home fires in 2022, with 172,900 incidents
Smoking materials ignited 17,000 home fires annually in the U.S., causing 540 deaths
Electrical malfunctions led to 46,000 home fires yearly, 13% of all fires
U.S. fires caused 3,870 civilian deaths in 2022, 49% in homes
Home fires killed 2,669 civilians in 2022 U.S., 84% of total deaths
Fire injuries totaled 16,500 in U.S. 2022, with 72% from home fires
U.S. had 1.1 million firefighters in 2022, 70% volunteers
U.S. fire departments: 27,498 career, 23,700 volunteer in 2022
Annual U.S. fire department runs: 36.5 million in 2022
U.S. fires caused $15.9 billion property damage in 2022
Wildfires cost U.S. $94 billion in 2022 damages and suppression
Global wildfire economic loss: $150 billion yearly average

Fire remains a devastating global threat that is intensifying in scale and cost each year.

Economic Impacts

U.S. fires caused $15.9 billion property damage in 2022
Wildfires cost U.S. $94 billion in 2022 damages and suppression
Global wildfire economic loss: $150 billion yearly average
Home fire property loss: $8.8 billion in 2022 U.S.
Insurance payouts for California wildfires 2018: $16.5 billion
U.S. fire suppression costs rose 188% from 2001-2021
Vehicle fire damage: $1.9 billion annually U.S.
Business interruption from fires: $2.5 billion yearly U.S.
Australia 2019-20 bushfires: AUD 100 billion total cost
Timber loss from wildfires: $1.2 billion U.S. 2022
Health costs from wildfire smoke: $76 billion U.S. 2020
Non-residential fire damage: $3.4 billion in 2022 U.S.
Flooding post-wildfire mitigation: $500 million annually U.S.
Crop loss from ag fires: $800 million yearly U.S.
Tourism loss from wildfires: $1 billion in affected areas yearly
Rebuilding costs post-structure fire: average $250,000 per home
Federal wildfire aid: $5 billion in 2023 U.S.
Power outage costs from fires: $2 billion annually U.S.
Livestock loss: 10,000 animals yearly U.S. wildfires, $50 million
Erosion control post-fire: $300 million U.S. yearly
Insurance premium hikes post-wildfire: 20% average in high-risk areas
Water supply contamination cleanup: $100 million after major fires

Economic Impacts Interpretation

In the grand accounting of modern catastrophe, we are now a civilization where setting things on fire has become one of our most spectacularly expensive and tragically efficient national pastimes.

Fire Casualties

U.S. fires caused 3,870 civilian deaths in 2022, 49% in homes
Home fires killed 2,669 civilians in 2022 U.S., 84% of total deaths
Fire injuries totaled 16,500 in U.S. 2022, with 72% from home fires
Wildfires caused 18 U.S. civilian deaths in 2022, up from 10 in 2021
85% of fire deaths occur in homes without working smoke alarms
African Americans face 2.2 times higher home fire death rate
Children under 5: 11% of home fire deaths despite 5% population
Elderly over 65: 23% of home fire deaths
Males account for 69% of fire deaths
Smoke inhalation causes 50-80% of fire fatalities
2023 Canadian wildfires displaced 200,000 people, 0 direct deaths
Australia Black Summer 2019-20: 33 direct deaths, 445 indirect
U.S. firefighter line-of-duty deaths: 81 in 2022, 40% medical
Burns affect 1.1 million people yearly globally, 180,000 deaths
Home oxygen equipment involved in 100 deaths yearly U.S.
Confined spaces cause 40% of industrial fire deaths
Nighttime fires (11pm-7am) cause 70% of home deaths
Winter months see 30% more home fire deaths
No smoke alarms in 38% of fatal home fires
Alcohol involved in 40% of adult fire deaths
U.S. fire death rate: 1.1 per 100,000 population in 2022
Vehicle fire deaths: 360 in 2022 U.S.
Wildfire evacuees suffer 20% higher PTSD rates

Fire Casualties Interpretation

Despite their terrifying Hollywood reputation, the sobering truth of fire is that our greatest danger is not the distant wildfire but our own sleepy, smoke-alarm-less homes, where a lethal cocktail of nighttime vulnerability and human habit turns everyday life into a preventable tragedy.

Fire Causes

Cooking equipment caused 49% of U.S. home fires in 2022, with 172,900 incidents
Smoking materials ignited 17,000 home fires annually in the U.S., causing 540 deaths
Electrical malfunctions led to 46,000 home fires yearly, 13% of all fires
Heating equipment sparked 14% of home fires, 46,000 cases in 2021
Candles caused 7,400 home fires annually, 3% of fires
Lightning strikes ignite 10,000 U.S. wildfires yearly, 10% of total
Arson accounted for 24% of structure fires, 30,400 in 2022 U.S.
Human campfires cause 87% of wildfires in national forests
Discarded cigarettes start 37% of smoking fires
Overloaded electrical circuits cause 23% of electrical fires
Grill fires total 10,600 yearly in U.S. homes
Children playing with fire cause 52,000 incidents annually
Dryers cause 15,500 fires yearly, lint buildup primary issue
Power lines spark 11% of wildfires
Alcohol impairment involved in 39% of fatal cooking fires
Faulty wiring in 52% of electrical home fires
Unattended incense causes 1,200 fires yearly
Vehicle debris on roads ignites 800 wildfires annually
Extension cords involved in 3,300 home fires yearly
Mulch fires from spontaneous combustion number 500 yearly
Chimney fires from creosote buildup: 21,500 annually U.S.
Railroad equipment sparks 2,000 wildfires yearly
Foxtail in hay causes 1% of barn fires
Solar panel inverters fault in 200 electrical fires yearly
E-cigarettes cause 100 fires annually from battery failures
Compost piles ignite 300 fires via spontaneous combustion
Gas leaks from stoves cause 4,000 explosions yearly
Wildfire ember attacks start 90% of spot fires

Fire Causes Interpretation

If you really want to toast your home's resale value, just combine an unattended skillet, a faulty extension cord, a dusty dryer vent, and a lit cigarette, then exit the building while impaired—because statistically, that's the all-American recipe for a house fire.

Fire Incidence

In 2022, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 1,346,000 fires, structural fires accounted for 76% of all fires, wildfires for 24%
Globally, wildfires burned 4.8 million hectares in 2023, a 25% increase from 2022, primarily in Canada and Australia
In California, 2023 saw 6,228 wildfires, burning over 300,000 acres by September
U.S. residential building fires caused 349,500 incidents in 2021, down 4% from 2020
Europe reported 12,000 forest fires in summer 2022, affecting 700,000 hectares
Australia had 1,200 bushfires in 2023, with Black Summer remnants burning 18 million hectares historically
In 2022, highway vehicle fires numbered 192,500 in the U.S., 16% of all fires
Wildland-urban interface fires in the U.S. increased by 30% from 2010-2020, affecting 46 million homes
Brazil's Amazon fires reached 30,000 in 2023, up 50% year-over-year
U.K. primary fires totaled 103,000 in 2022/23, a 5% decrease
Russia reported 18,000 wildfires in 2023, burning 1.8 million hectares in Siberia
In 2021, U.S. non-residential building fires were 103,500, causing $1.1 billion in damage
Greece experienced 1,500 wildfires in 2023, with Evia fire burning 100,000 hectares
Canada had 6,800 wildfires in 2023, emitting 640 million metric tons of CO2
U.S. storage fires numbered 25,500 in 2022, with 40% in warehouses
Indonesia peatland fires in 2023 burned 1.2 million hectares
France saw 8,500 wildfires in 2023, scorching 200,000 hectares in the south
In 2020, U.S. wildfires burned 10.2 million acres, the largest on record
South Africa reported 4,000 veld fires in 2023, affecting Cape Town regions
Japan had 3,500 forest fires in 2022, burning 15,000 hectares
U.S. public assembly fires were 11,000 in 2021
Portugal wildfires in 2023 burned 75,000 hectares, up 20%
Chile experienced 200 wildfires in 2023, destroying 400 homes
U.S. manufacturing fires totaled 15,500 in 2022
Turkey saw 3,000 wildfires in 2022, burning 170,000 hectares
New Zealand bushfires numbered 1,200 in 2023
U.S. utility fires were 9,500 in 2021
Spain reported 15,000 fires in 2023, affecting 300,000 hectares
Mexico had 5,500 wildfires in 2023, burning 800,000 hectares
U.S. agriculture fires numbered 7,200 in 2022

Fire Incidence Interpretation

While structural fires stubbornly cling to the top spot on the incident report, it's the dramatic, climate-fueled surge of wildfires—torching ecosystems, choking the atmosphere, and increasingly threatening our doorsteps—that truly sets the modern world ablaze.

Firefighting Resources

U.S. had 1.1 million firefighters in 2022, 70% volunteers
U.S. fire departments: 27,498 career, 23,700 volunteer in 2022
Annual U.S. fire department runs: 36.5 million in 2022
Wildfire suppression employs 15,000 personnel daily peak season U.S.
U.S. aerial tankers: 20 large, dropping 2,500 gallons each
NFPA estimates 1 million smoke alarms needed yearly replacements
U.S. fire stations: 46,000 total, average 2.6 per 1,000 fires
Helicopter water drops: 1,000 gallons per load, 500 U.S. helitankers
Fire engine apparatus: 750,000 total in U.S.
Dozer lines built: 20,000 miles annually in U.S. wildfires
U.S. wildland fire budget: $3.8 billion in 2023
SCBA units: 1.2 million in use U.S. fire services
Response time average: 5.8 minutes career depts, 8.9 volunteer
Fire hydrants: 2.2 million public in U.S.
Modular Airborne Firefighting Systems (MAFFS): 9 C-130 aircraft
Training hours: 60 mandatory annually per firefighter U.S.
Pumper trucks: 45,000 in U.S. inventory
Retardant drops: 2 million gallons daily peak wildfire season
Hazmat teams: 3,000 specialized U.S. departments
Aerial infrared scanners: 10 national systems for hotspots
U.S. fire service budget: $45 billion annually
Rescue apparatus: 25,000 units nationwide

Firefighting Resources Interpretation

The U.S. fire service is a vast, volunteer-piloted machine fueled by courage and cash, running on millions of calls and minutes, where the only thing spreading faster than wildfire is the logistical complexity of fighting it.

Sources & References

Logos provided by Logo.dev