Residential Building Fire Dollar-Loss Causes (2014-2023)

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.