The U.S. fire problem

Residential structure fires by year

Click graphs for larger image.

Year	Fires	Civilian deaths	Civilian injuries	Direct property damage (In billiions) As reported	Direct property damage (In billions) In 2011 dollars
1977	750,000	6,135	22,600	$2.2	$8.1
1978	730,500	6,185	21,260	$2.2	$7.5
1979	721,500	5,765	20,450	$3.0	$7.8
1980	757,500	5,446	221,100	$5.5	$8.3
1981	733,000	5,540	20,375	$3.3	$8.0
1982	676,500	4,940	21,100	$3.3	$7.6
1983	641,500	4,820	21,450	$3.3	$7.5
1984	623,000	4,240	19,275	$3.4	$7.4
1985	622,000	5,025	19,825	$3.8	$7.9
1986	581,500	4,770	19,025	$3.6	$7.3
1987	551,500	4,660	20,440	$3.7	$7.3
1988	552,500	5,065	22,600	$4.0	$7.6
1989	513,500	4,435	20,750	$4.0	$7.3
1990	467,000	4,115	20,650	$4.3	$7.3
1991	478,000	3,575	21,850	$5.6¹	$9.2¹
1992	472,000	3,765	21,600	$3.9	$6.2
1993	470,000	3,825	22,600	$4.8²	$7.5²
1994	451,000	3,465	20,025	$4.3	$6.5
1995	425,500	3,695	19,125	$4.4	$6.4
1996	428,000	4,080	19,300	$5.0	$7.1
1997	406,500	3,390	17,775	$4.6	$6.4
1998	381,500	3,250	17,175	$4.4	$6.1
1999	383,000	2,920	16,425	$5.1	$6.9
2000	379,500	3,445	17,400	$5.7	$7.4
2001	396,500	3,140	15,575	$5.6	$7.2
2002	401,000	2,695	14,050	$6.1	$7.6
2003	402,000	3,165	14,075	$6.1³	$7.4³
2004	410,500	3,225	14,175	$5.9	$7.1
2005	396,000	3,055	13,825	$6.9	$7.9
2006	412,500	2,620	12,925	$7.0	$7.8
2007	414,000	2,895	14,000	$7.5⁴	$8.2⁴
2008	403,000	2,780	13,560	$8.6⁵	$8.9⁵
2009	377,000	2,590	13,050	$7.8	$8.2
2010	384,000	2,665	13,800	$7.1	$7.3
2011	386,000	2,550	14,360	$7.1	$7.1

1 Includes $1.5 billion in damage caused by the Oakland Fire Storm, most of which was lost to homes but for which no detailed breakdown by property type was available.

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

3 This does not include the Southern California wildfires with an estimated property damage of $2 billion.

4 This does not include the California Fire Storm 2007 with an estimated property damage of $1.8 billion.

5 Does not include the California wildfires 2008.

Residential structures include homes, hotels and motels, dormitories, barracks, and the like but do not include hospitals, nursing homes, residential schools, jails or prisons, among other properties that provide sleeping accommodations.

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, September 2012, 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