The U.S. fire problem

Overview of fires by year

Click graphs for larger image.

Year	Fires	Civilian deaths	Civilian injuries	Firefighter deaths	Firefighter injuries	Direct property damage (in billions) As reported	Direct property damage (in billions) In 2011 dollars
1977	3,264,000	7,395	31,190	157	112,540	$4.7	$17.4
1978	2,817,500	7,710	29,825	174	101,100	$4.5	$15.5
1979	2,845,500	7,575	31,325	126	95,780	$5.8	$17.8
1980	2,988,000	6,505	30,200	138	98,070	$6.3	$17.1
1981	2,893,500	6,700	30,450	136	103,340	$6.7	$16.5
1982	2,538,000	6,020	30,525	128	98,150	$6.4	$15.0
1983	2,326,500	5,920	31,275	113	103,150	$6.6	$14.9
1984	2,343,000	5,240	28,125	119	102,300	$6.7	$14.5
1985	2,371,000	6,185	28,425	128	100,900	$7.3	$15.3
1986	2,271,500	5,850	26,825	119	96,450	$6.7	$13.8
1987	2,330,000	5,810	28,215	132	102,600	$7.2	$14.2
1988	2,436,500	6,215	30,800	136	102,900	$8.4	$15.9
1989	2,115,000	5,410	28,250	118	100,700	$8.7	$15.7
1990	2,019,000	5,195	28,600	108	100,300	$7.8	$13.5
1991	2,041,500	4,465	29,375	108	103,300	$9.5¹	$15.6¹
1992	1,964,500	4,730	28,700	75	97,700	$8.3	$13.3
1993	1,952,500	4,635	30,475	79	101,500	$8.5²	$13.3²
1994	2,054,500	4,275	27,250	106	95,400	$8.2	$12.4
1995	1,965,500	4,585	25,775	98	94,500	$8.9	$13.1
1996	1,975,000	4,990	25,550	96	87,150	$9.4	$13.5
1997	1,795,000	4,050	23,750	99	85,400	$8.5	$11.9
1998	1,755,500	4,035	23,100	91	87,500	$8.6	$11.9
1999	1,823,000	3,570	21,875	112	88,500	$10.0	$13.5
2000	1,708,000	4,045	22,350	103	84,550	$11.2	$14.6
2001	1,734,500	6,196³	21,100⁴	443⁵	82,250	$44.0⁶	$55.9⁶
2002	1,687,500	3,380	18,425	98	80,800	$10.3	$12.9
2003	1,584,500	3,925	18,125	106	78,750	$12.3⁷	$15.0⁷
2004	1,550,500	3,900	17,875	104	75,840	$9.8	$11.7
2005	1,602,000	3,675	17,925	87	80,100	$10.7	$12.3
2006	1,642,500	3,245	16,400	89	83,400	$11.3	$12.6
2007	1,557,500	3,430	17,675	106	80,100	$14.6⁸	$15.9⁸
2008	1,451,500	3,320	16,705	105	79,700	$15.5⁹	$16.2⁹
2009	1,348,500	3,010	17,050	82	78,150	$12.5	$13.1
2010	1,331,500	3,120	17,720	73	71,875	$11.6	$12.0
2011	1,389,500	3,005	17,500	61	70,090	$11.7	$11.7

1 Includes $1.5 billion in damage caused by the Oakland fire storm.

2 Includes $809 million in damage caused by Sothern California wildfires.

3 Includes 2,451 civilian deaths that occurred from the events of 9/11/01.

4 Includes 800 civilian injuries that occurred from the events of 9/11/01.

5 Includes 340 firefighters at the World Trade Center, September 11, 2001.

6 Includes $33.44 billion in property loss that occurred from the events of 9/11/01.

7 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.

8 This includes the California Fire Storm 2007 with an estimated property damage of $1.8 billion.

9 This figure includes the California wildfires 2008 with an estimated property loss of $1.4 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: Fire Loss in the United States 2011, Michael J. Karter, Jr., September 2012 and previous reports in the series; Firefighter Fatalities in the Unites States, Rita F. Fahy, Paul R. LeBlanc, Joseph L. Molis, June 2010 and previous reports in the series; U.S. Firefighter Injuries, Michael J. Karter, Jr., Joseph L. Molis, October 2009 and previous reports in the series.

Updated: 9/12

			Overview of the U.S. fire problem

			Number of fires by type of fire

			Home fires

			Homes Fires with Ten or More Fatalities

			One- and two-family home fires (includes manufactured homes)

			Structure fires

			Residential structure fires

			Non-residential structure fires

			Apartment structure fires

			Non-home structure fires

			U.S. highway vehicle fires