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Residential Building Intentional Fire Trends (2011‑2020)

National estimates

The 2020 national estimates for residential building intentional fires and losses show that there were:

  • 18,200 fires.
  • 185 deaths.
  • 725 injuries.
  • $902,700,000 in dollar loss.

Overall trends

Overall trends for residential building intentional fires and losses for the 10-year period of 2011 to 2020 show the following:

  • A 7% decrease in fires.
  • A 15% decrease in deaths.
    In 2017, 12 reported multifatality fire incidents (resulting in 2 or 3 deaths each), may have contributed to the increase in the estimate of fire deaths.
  • A 9% decrease in injuries.
  • A 39% increase in dollar loss.*
    A $110,000,000 under-construction apartment complex fire in Waltham, Massachusetts, contributed to the 2017 dollar-loss peak. An $80,000,000 under-construction apartment and hotel complex fire in St. Paul, Minnesota, contributed to the 2020 dollar-loss peak.
*This overall constant dollar-loss trend takes inflation into account by adjusting each year’s dollar loss to its equivalent 2020 value.

Fires, deaths, injuries and dollar loss

Residential building intentional fires

2011201220132014201520162017201820192020
Fires17400188001710015800156001520015700159001580018200

Residential building intentional fire deaths

2011201220132014201520162017201820192020
Deaths240320320235290260370255265185

Residential building intentional fire injuries

2011201220132014201520162017201820192020
Injuries850775725625650625700700750725

Residential building intentional fire dollar loss

YearDollar loss
2011554000000
2012600600000
2013525300000
2014422400000
2015429200000
2016437100000
2017779800000
2018573500000
2019445900000
2020902700000