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National estimates
The 2021 national estimates for the leading causes of nonresidential building fires show that there were:
- 31,100 cooking fires.
- 17,700 intentional fires.
- 14,100 other unintentional, careless fires.
Overall trends
Overall trends in the leading fire causes for the 10-year period of 2012 to 2021 show the following:
- Cooking as the leading cause of nonresidential building fires for the 10-year period.
- A 14% increase in nonresidential cooking fires.
- A 92% increase in nonresidential intentionally set fires.
- A 55% increase in nonresidential other unintentionally or carelessly set fires.
Leading causes of nonresidential building fires (2012-2021)
2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cooking | 27200 | 27400 | 29000 | 30900 | 28900 | 33700 | 31700 | 33200 | 28600 | 31100 |
Intentional | 9700 | 9100 | 8800 | 9800 | 9000 | 10900 | 10200 | 12000 | 14600 | 17700 |
Other Unintentional, Careless | 9100 | 8600 | 10000 | 10900 | 10700 | 12300 | 11900 | 12800 | 12200 | 14100 |
Electrical Malfunction | 6400 | 7400 | 8000 | 8200 | 7100 | 8200 | 8100 | 8200 | 6800 | 7200 |
Heating | 7400 | 8400 | 9000 | 7900 | 7100 | 7600 | 7100 | 7400 | 6400 | 7100 |
Open Flame | 6000 | 5700 | 6000 | 6500 | 5700 | 6700 | 5900 | 6500 | 6200 | 7100 |