Key Takeaways
- Cooking caused 49% of U.S. home fires from 2017-2021.
- Heating equipment led to 14% of home fires and 19% of deaths in 2017-2021.
- Smoking materials ignited 5% of home fires but 22% of associated deaths 2017-2021.
- U.S. home fires killed 2,470 civilians in 2022.
- 9,900 civilian injuries from home fires in 2022 U.S.
- Children under 5: 12% of home fire deaths despite 5% population.
- In 2022, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 346,000 home structure fires, accounting for 49% of all structure fires.
- From 2016-2020, annual average of 352,000 reported home fires in the U.S., causing $15.7 billion in direct property damage.
- In 2021, residential fires made up 71% of all civilian fire deaths in the United States.
- 96% of U.S. homes have smoke alarms, but 25% non-functional.
- Homes with working smoke alarms: 50% less likely to have fatal fire.
- Sprinklers operational in 96% of fires where present, controlling 96%.
- U.S. home fires caused $15.7 billion direct damage 2022.
- Average loss per home fire: $45,000 in 2022 U.S.
- 0.3% of U.S. homes suffer fire damage annually.
Cooking drives nearly half of US home fires, while missing alarms and nighttime risk drive most deaths.
Causes of Fires
Causes of Fires Interpretation
Fatalities and Injuries
Fatalities and Injuries Interpretation
Incidence and Frequency
Incidence and Frequency Interpretation
Prevention, Detection, and Response
Prevention, Detection, and Response Interpretation
Property Damage and Costs
Property Damage and Costs Interpretation
How We Rate Confidence
Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.
Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.
AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree
Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.
AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree
All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.
AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
Stefan Wendt. (2026, February 13). House Fire Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/house-fire-statistics
Stefan Wendt. "House Fire Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/house-fire-statistics.
Stefan Wendt. 2026. "House Fire Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/house-fire-statistics.
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