National estimates
The 2023 national estimates for the leading causes of residential building fire dollar loss show that there was:
- $2,480,500,000 loss from other unintentional, careless fires.
- $1,501,600,000 loss from electrical malfunction fires.
- $874,700,000 loss from open-flame fires.
Overall trends
Overall trends in the leading fire dollar loss* causes for the 10-year period of 2014 to 2023 show the following:
- Other unintentional, careless was the leading cause of residential fire dollar loss for the 10-year period.
- A 76% increase in residential other unintentionally or carelessly set fire dollar loss.
The 2021 high-dollar loss fires included a $20,000,000 large residential fire in Palo Alto, California. The 2022 high-dollar loss fires included a $10,900,000 house fire in Iron Mountain, Michigan, and a $10,400,000 apartment building fire in Tacoma, Washington. The 2023 high-dollar loss fires included a $12,000,000 apartment building fire in San Antonio, Texas. - A 28% increase in residential electrical malfunction fire dollar loss.
The 2022 high-dollar loss fires included an $11,000,000 apartment building fire in Belton, Missouri. - An 18% increase in residential open-flame fire dollar loss.
- A reported $80,000,000 under-construction apartment and hotel complex fire in St. Paul, Minnesota, contributed to the peak in the 2020 residential intentionally set fire dollar loss.
- The spike in the 2016 residential exposure fire dollar loss was attributed in part to the Gatlinburg, Tennessee, wildfires.
Leading causes of residential building fire dollar loss (2014-2023)
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other unintentional, careless | 1413.4 | 1598.7 | 1489.1 | 1717.6 | 1917.8 | 1872.3 | 1972.9 | 2185.2 | 2383.4 | 2480.5 |
| Electrical malfunction | 1196.2 | 1220.3 | 1151.5 | 1314.9 | 1489.4 | 1440.1 | 1337.3 | 1351.0 | 1553.8 | 1501.6 |
| Open flame | 791.9 | 791.9 | 675.5 | 787.2 | 877.8 | 769.2 | 855.0 | 789.2 | 941.6 | 874.7 |
| Other heat | 603.5 | 853.0 | 509.2 | 650.3 | 766.8 | 625.1 | 791.1 | 745.0 | 697.7 | 860.1 |
| Natural | 623.5 | 582.1 | 595.2 | 582.1 | 627.9 | 616.2 | 525.7 | 516.4 | 656.6 | 801.5 |
| Intentional | 497.3 | 505.3 | 514.6 | 918.1 | 675.2 | 525.0 | 1062.8 | 614.3 | 613.2 | 631.1 |
| Cause under investigation | 463.2 | 504.7 | 561.8 | 570.1 | 582.6 | 535.9 | 503.6 | 597.5 | 832.8 | 622.3 |
| Exposure | 507.8 | 552.2 | 1478.6 | 637.9 | 379.9 | 488.4 | 467.9 | 411.1 | 534.8 | 577.0 |
| Cooking | 703.2 | 636.1 | 544.5 | 518.2 | 548.3 | 519.5 | 548.0 | 555.7 | 544.0 | 572.7 |
| Heating | 777.7 | 504.4 | 439.1 | 397.4 | 497.9 | 418.4 | 445.7 | 497.0 | 587.8 | 488.0 |