House Fires Statistics [Causes, Fatalities, And More] In Texas

Published on February 05th, 2025

House fires are traumatic events that cause thousands of civilian deaths. In fact, 358,300 house fires in the U.S. occur annually.

Roughly 1 in 413 houses nationwide experience house fires, and home fire deaths may rise from an average of 2,840.

However, most home fires are preventable with fire safety knowledge.

Below is a compilation of house fire statistics to give insight into house fire frequency, their major causes, and life-saving strategies.

In 1980, 734,000 house fires occurred. Though the number of house fires began to significantly reduce by nearly half over the years, property damage increased.

Let's cover the frequency of home fires.

Frequency and Annual Rate of House Fires

Home fires are very common. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) provides the following data points:

• 358,300 home structure fires in the U.S. occur yearly.
• 86,000 occur in apartment buildings.
• Home structure fires are reported every 93 seconds.
• A fire department responds to reported home fires every 23 seconds.
• Cold months experience a peak in reported home fires.

Even with a decrease of roughly two-thirds in home fire death rates, the number of fatalities that fire departments responded to annually remains concerning.

Consequences of House Fires: Fatalities and Injuries

These are house fire casualties in numbers:

• Home fire deaths are reported every 2 hours and 18 minutes.
• Home fire injuries occur every 36 minutes.
• For every 1,000 reported fires, 7.9 deaths happen.
• Civilian fire deaths increased to an estimated average of 79% for home fires.
• Home fire injuries averaged 73%.
• Older civilians have higher death rates. Out of the 79% estimated average, 65% of civilian deaths were 65 and older.
• In 2022, there were 3,790 civilian fire deaths and 96 on-duty firefighter deaths.
• From January to February 2024, 317 home fire fatalities were reported.

Home fire deaths may rise if people remain unaware of fire prevention measures.

Examining Fatal Residential Building Fires

The following are details surrounding residential building fires:

• One- and two-family homes experience the most home fire deaths.
• Civilian death rate: 59.1%
• Civilian injuries: 54.3%
• Most reported home structure fires occur from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
• In 2021, 45% of fatal home fires happened during the early morning. 41% of victims were asleep.
• In 80% of fatal home fires, the fire damage spread beyond the original heat source.
• These areas experience the most fire damage:
• Kitchen: 44%
• Outside the home: 38%
• Other areas: 38%
• Bedroom: 6%
• Chimney or flue: 4%
• Living rooms: 3%

Though not all house fires cause deaths, home fire injuries are most common in residential areas.

Impact of Residential Building Fires on Injuries

Cooking equipment and issues with electrical outlets are some of the leading causes of house fires, and fire departments find that they often cause injuries.

These are the facts:

• Of 74% of home fire injuries, 1,400 were from electrical fires.
• Nearly three-quarters of reported fires result in injuries from cooking fires.
• 79% of house fire injuries involved smoke inhalation and thermal burns.
• In 2017-2019, 33% of home fires happened in bedrooms.

Poor electrical distribution and negligence regarding heat sources may escalate civilian deaths.

Economic Consequences of House Fires

Direct property damage from house fires impacts the economy annually.

• In 2016, house fires caused $8.64 billion in property loss.
• From 2023 to 2024, the estimated average number increased to $9 billion in property loss.

A fire's effect on house prices can be major, especially since fire-damaged properties lose value.

Assessing the Monetary Loss from Residential Fires

In 2019, claims for fire and lighting equipment damage reached $79,785.

Temporary housing and medical costs add to expenses. Fire-damaged properties lose value —and not everyone has homeowner's insurance to cover damages

The number of house fires changes with the weather.

From 2016 to 2020, 46% of home fires occurred from December to February due to increased electrical use.

According to National Park Service data, 85% of annual wildfires occur during summer. 2018 had more than 50,000 reported wildfires.

Analyzing Holiday and Seasonal Fire Data

These are the details on seasonal fires:

• From 2011 to 2015, Christmas tree fires caused 13 civilian injuries.
• From 2016 to 2020, Christmas tree injuries lessened to 11. However, U.S. fire departments responded to 160 home structure fires caused by Christmas trees.
• 25% of Christmas tree fires happen from faulty wiring or overloaded outlets.

Leaving them on for several days is a leading cause of sudden fires.

A house fire is a traumatic experience since you may be losing a home and family, which can cause depression.

However, you can slowly rebuild your life through healthy coping mechanisms.

Psychological Trauma and Coping Mechanisms

Studies have shown that survivors initially feel closer to their community post-fire, but coping becomes harder over time.

Using these coping strategies may guide you toward recovery:

• Allow yourself to feel negative emotions, and let them out healthily.
• Have realistic expectations regarding the restoration timeline.
• Spend time with your loved ones to avoid isolation.
• Take advantage of community support.
• Focus on what you are thankful for.
• Get healthy amounts of rest.
• Practice self-care.

Taking care of yourself is important, especially if you have a child. As children look for support, be present and let them express their emotions too.

Immediate Response and Evacuation Strategies

Once you realize that a fire is happening, follow these immediate response strategies:

• Inform anyone within the house to evacuate immediately.
• If you have a fire extinguisher, open it with these steps:
• P - PULL the safety pin from the handle.
• A - AIM the nozzle at the base of the fire.
• S - SQUEEZE the trigger handle.
• S - SWEEP from side to side.
• Move away from the fire and close all doors and windows.
• If a door is hot, leave through a window or safe exit. With a fire escape plan, you can set an emergency escape route.
• Exit using stairs, not elevators.
• Immediately call 911 and stay away from the building while waiting for the fire department.

Do not re-enter the home until the fire is out. Ensure you and your loved ones are safe before making other decisions.

Role of Firefighters in Rescue and Extinguishing Efforts

Firefighters play these roles during house fire emergencies:

• Extinguishing fires within their area.
• Protecting lives and property.
• Rescuing people who get stuck inside a burning building.
• Collecting information after fires to know their origins and prevention methods.

Even as a civilian, you can save lives through fire prevention measures and alarms.

Here's a quick refresher on house fires and their leading causes.

What Percentage of Fire Deaths Occur at Home?

79% of civilian fire deaths occur at home, causing 73% of injuries. The leading cause of fires is cooking, with heating equipment errors as the second leading cause.

How Common Are House Fires?

House fires occur every 93 seconds.

How Many House Fires Occur Every Year in the United States?

There are 358,300 reported fires annually nationwide.

How Many House Fires Are Caused by Fireplaces?

According to NFPA data, fireplaces caused 21,510 house fires.

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover House Fires?

Yes, homeowners insurance covers house fires, damages, and repairs. However, they do not cover intentional fires.

Understanding house fire statistics and how they've changed over the years is crucial in knowing fire prevention.

By being aware of coping mechanisms and safety reminders, saving lives is highly possible.

Remember how flammable electronics and daily items are, pick up fire insurance if you haven't yet, and do your best to practice fire safety whenever possible.