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Residential Building Intentional Fire Trends (2012‑2021)

National estimates

The 2021 national estimates for residential building intentional fires and losses show that there were:

  • 18,200 fires.
  • 275 deaths.
  • 700 injuries.
  • $546,300,000 in dollar loss.

Overall trends

Overall trends for residential building intentional fires and losses for the 10-year period of 2012 to 2021 show the following:

  • A 1% increase in fires.
  • A 21% decrease in deaths.
    In 2017, 12 reported multifatality fire incidents may have contributed to the peak in the estimate of fire deaths.
  • A 1% increase in injuries.
  • A 32% 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 2021 value.

Fires, deaths, injuries and dollar loss

Residential building intentional fires

2012201320142015201620172018201920202021
Fires18800171001580015600152001570015900158001820018200

Residential building intentional fire deaths

2012201320142015201620172018201920202021
Deaths320320235290260370255265185275

Residential building intentional fire injuries

2012201320142015201620172018201920202021
Injuries775725625650625700700750725700

Residential building intentional fire dollar loss

YearDollar loss
2012628800000
2013550000000
2014442300000
2015449400000
2016457600000
2017816500000
2018600500000
2019466800000
2020945100000
2021546300000