Deadliest/large-loss fires

25 largest fire losses in U.S. history

Rank	Event	Date	Loss in year it occurred	Adjusted loss (in 2008 dollars)
1	The World Trade Center New York, NY	September 11, 2001	$33.4 billion	$40.6 billion
2	Earthquake and fire San Francisco, CA (See Virtual Museum of the City of San Franciso for more information on this disaster.)	April 18, 1906	$350 million	$8.3 billion
3	Great Chicago Fire* Chicago, IL	October 8-9, 1871	$168 million	$3.0 billion
4	Oakland Fire Storm (wildland/urban interface) Oakland, CA	October 20, 1991	$1.5 billion	$2.4 billion
5	The Southern California firestorm San Diego County, CA	October 20, 2007	$1.8 billion	$1.9 billion
6	Great Boston Fire Boston, MA	November 9, 1872	$75 million	$1.3 billion
7	Polyolefin Plant Pasadena, TX	October 23, 1989	$750 million	$1.3 billion
8	Wildland fire "Cedar" Julian, CA	October 25, 2003	$1.1 billion	$1.2 billion
9	Wildland fire (wildland/urban interface) "Cerro Grande" Los Alamos, NM	May 4, 2000	$1.0 billion	$1.2 billion
10	Baltimore conflagration Baltimore, MD	February 7, 1904	$50 million	$1.2 billion
11	Wildland fire "Old" San Bernadino, CA	October 25, 2003	$975 million	$1.1 billion
12	Los Angeles civil disturbance Los Angeles, CA	April 29-May 1, 1992	$567 million	$870 million
13	Power plant (auto manufacturing complex) Dearborn, MI	February 1, 1999	$650 million	$839 million
14	Southern California November wildfire** Sacramento, CA	November 13, 2008	$800 million	$800 million
15	Laguna Beach Fire (wildland/urban interface) Orange County, CA	October 27, 1993	$528 million	$786 million
16	Textile mill Methuen, MA	December 11, 1995	$500 million	$705 million
17	U.S.S. Lafayette (formerly S.S. Normandie ocean liner) New York, NY	February 9, 1942	$53 million	$699 million
18	S.S. Grandcamp and Chemical Co. Plant Texas City, TX	April 16, 1947	$67 million	$646 million
19	Petroleum refinery Norco, LA	May 5, 1988	$330 million	$600 million
20	Cargo plane in-flight fire near Newburgh, NY	September 5, 1996	$395 million	$542 million
21	Great Fire of New York New York, NY	December 16, 1835	$26 million	$540 million
22	Wildland fire** Florida	May-June 1998	$395 million	$520 million
23	One Meridian Plaza (high-rise office building) Philadelphia, PA	February 23, 1991	$325 million	$513 million
24	Forest fire Clouquet, MN	October 12, 1918	$35 million	$498 million
25	Apollo Spacecraft cabin Cape Kennedy, FL	January 27, 1967	$75 million	$483 million

Source: Loss estimates are from NFPA records. Adjustment to 2007 dollars done using the Consumer Price Index, including Census Bureau estimates for historical times. The list is limited to fires with some reliable dollar-loss estimate that occur in or over the U.S.A .

*Each year Fire Prevention Week falls in the week of October 9th, and thus the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 is dedicated to encouraging fire safety. The National Fire Protection Association has been the proud sponsor of Fire Prevention Week ever since it was first proclaimed in 1922 by President Warren G. Harding.

** Includes multiple fires

Updated: 9/09

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