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Residential Building Open-Flame Fire Trends (2012‑2021)

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National estimates

The 2021 national estimates for residential building open-flame fires and losses show that there were:

16,500 fires.
135 deaths.
975 injuries.
$701,800,000 in dollar loss.

Overall trends

Overall trends for residential building open-flame fires and losses for the 10-year period of 2012 to 2021 show the following:

An 11% decrease in fires.
A 0.5% decrease in deaths.
A 13% decrease in injuries.
A 5% increase in dollar loss.
This overall constant dollar-loss trend takes inflation into account by adjusting each year's dollar loss to its equivalent 2021 value.

Fires, deaths, injuries and dollar loss

Residential building open-flame fires

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	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
Fires	18200	17500	16800	16400	15800	16000	16300	15300	15900	16500

Residential building open-flame fire deaths

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	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
Deaths	175	165	160	115	145	180	140	200	170	135

Residential building open-flame fire injuries

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	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
Injuries	1100	1150	1050	975	925	900	975	1000	975	975

Residential building open-flame fire dollar loss

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Year	Dollar loss
2012	745300000
2013	653600000
2014	704200000
2015	704200000
2016	600700000
2017	700000000
2018	780700000
2019	684000000
2020	760400000
2021	701800000

Fire estimate summaries present basic data on the size and status of the fire problem in the U.S. as depicted through data reported to the U.S. Fire Administration's (USFA's) National Fire Incident Reporting System from incidents reported by local response agencies. Each Fire Estimate Summary addresses the size of the specific fire or fire-related issue and highlights important trends in the data.

Fire estimate summaries are based on the USFA's National Estimates Methodology for Building Fires and Losses PDF. The USFA is committed to providing the best and most current information on the U.S. fire problem and continually examines data received from participating fire departments and the analytical methods used to fulfill this goal. Because of this commitment, data collection strategies and methodological changes are possible and do occur. Previous estimates on specific issues (or similar issues) may have used different methodologies or data definitions and, therefore, may not be directly comparable to current estimates.