Main content
National estimates
The 2020 national estimates for the leading causes of nonresidential building fires show that there were:
- 28,600 cooking fires.
- 14,600 intentional fires.
- 12,200 other unintentional, careless fires.
Overall trends
Overall trends in the leading fire causes for the 10-year period of 2011 to 2020 show the following:
- Cooking as the leading cause of nonresidential building fires for the 10-year period.
- A 24% increase in nonresidential cooking fires.
This increase may be due to an NFIRS coding edit implemented in 2012. - A 52% increase in nonresidential intentionally set fires.
- A 54% increase in nonresidential other unintentionally or carelessly set fires.
Leading causes of nonresidential building fires (2011-2020)
2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cooking | 24100 | 27200 | 27400 | 29000 | 30900 | 28900 | 33700 | 31700 | 33200 | 28600 |
Heating | 6200 | 7400 | 8400 | 9000 | 7900 | 7100 | 7600 | 7100 | 7400 | 6400 |
Other Unintentional, Careless | 8400 | 9100 | 8600 | 10000 | 10900 | 10700 | 12300 | 11900 | 12800 | 12200 |
Electrical Malfunction | 7800 | 6400 | 7400 | 8000 | 8200 | 7100 | 8200 | 8100 | 8200 | 6800 |
Intentional | 8900 | 9700 | 9100 | 8800 | 9800 | 9000 | 10900 | 10200 | 12000 | 14600 |