When the necessary distance is only 10 feet, 46.2 percent of respondents place their fire pit at least 30 feet away from their home or any flammable objects.
A fire extinguisher is owned or accessible by 70.3 percent of respondents.
The majority of people (56.5 percent) are aware that they should install a carbon monoxide detector on each floor of their home, but there is more confusion about how many smoke detectors they should have.
Although 32.1 percent of respondents correctly identified the requirement for a smoke alarm in every room and on every floor of their home, 31.7 percent believe that only one detector is required on each floor, and 31.5 percent feel that only one is required in each room.
Only one smoke detector is needed for the entire house, according to 4.7 percent of consumers!
While many people follow safe behaviors, others are still uninformed of the dangers of a house fire and other fire safety strategies.
Cooking was the major cause of house fires, according to more than two-thirds of respondents (67.7%).
A home fire can reach the same temperature as a propane flame, however the highest temperature a home fire may reach is 2,552 degrees Fahrenheit (as hot as a candle flame).
Wildfire damage is not covered by the average homeowners insurance policy, according to 31.2 percent of respondents.
Almost a fifth of respondents (19.3%) do not have a fire escape plan in place for their home.
Statistics on house fires by year
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States Fire Administration, and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) all agree that:
Every year, an average of 358,300 residential fires occur.
Over 125,000 children were treated for burns in 2013, according to the CDC.
In 2016, 364,000 residential fires resulted in almost 14,000 fire casualties.
Businesses around the country lost approximately $31 million in property due to fire damage in 2017.
In 2017, there were 499,000 structural fires reported.
More than 26,000 house fires were caused by defective wiring in 2017.
In 2017, there were at least 1,319,500 fires in the United States (wildfires, residential fires, and business fires), resulting in 3,400 deaths.
In 2018, fire departments and fire services in the United States responded to a fire every 24 seconds.
Deaths due to house fires
Review the entire reports from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS), and the National Safety Council for more information:
Every 144 minutes, or little more than every two hours, a civilian is killed in a fire.
82 firefighters died in the line of duty in 2018.
92 percent of civilian fire deaths occur in the home.
Every day, seven people are killed in fires.
Every year, an average of 2,620 civilians are killed in house fires.
Smoke inhalation is the leading cause of fatality in residential fires.
Every year, 500 children under the age of 14 are murdered in fires.
During a fire, more than half of children aged 5 and under die while sleeping.
Every 35 minutes, or roughly every half hour, a civilian fire-related injury occurs.
Damage caused by a house fire has resulted in a financial loss.
National databases held by government agencies such as the US Fire Administration and the National Fire Protection Association, as well as the Insurance Information Institute:
Every year, house fires generate approximately $12 billion in damage.
Damages from a building fire in a commercial kitchen might cost up to $23,000.
Every year between 2013 and 2017, house fires cost the United States $6.5 billion.
In nine years, fire damages increased from $13 billion to $28 billion (2000 – 2009).
Home fires cost the economy $11.1 billion each year in property damage.
Christmas tree fires cost the economy about $17.5 million each year.
On Christmas, Christmas night, and New Year’s Day, the majority of fires that started as a candle fire as a heat source occur.
Data from the US Fire Administration, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), FEMA, and Ready.gov is as follows:
Cooking (50 percent of all fires), heating equipment (12.5%), and electrical fault are the top three causes of household fires (6.3 percent ).
Every 87 seconds, a house fire occurs.
Electrical fires, caused by short circuits or wiring faults, account for almost 22% of non-residential fires.
Thanksgiving is the busiest day of the year for kitchen fires.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, about 30% of all fires start in people’s homes.
Over 18,000 fires are sparked each year as a result of fireworks.
A house fire can reach temperatures of over 1100 degrees Fahrenheit in less than five minutes.
In the fall, when most Americans use their fireplaces to stay warm, 45 percent of home fires occur.
In the United States, 96 percent of all homes have had fire or smoke damage.
According to Stanford Children’s Hospital, contact burns affect 20% of children under the age of four who are hospitalized for burns.
Advice on preventing fires
A single death as a result of a house fire is too many. Review these fire safety advice and take the necessary steps to prevent a fire in your home. The National Safety Council has further information on how to keep your house secure if you want to learn more.
Keep space heaters or other portable warmers at least 3 feet away from any combustible things, such as blankets or drapes, if you use them.
Space heaters should also be placed on tile or ceramic flooring, away from combustible materials like carpet or rugs.
Consider investing in a space heater that will automatically turn off if it is knocked over.
When you leave a room, make sure the coals in a fireplace or the flame of a candle are extinguished.
Every room and floor of your home should have a fire alarm installed. Every floor of your home should have a carbon monoxide detector. All devices should be tested once a year, and batteries should be replaced as needed.
If the unexpected happens and you end up in a house fire, keep these things in mind:
If your clothing is on fire, “stop, drop, and roll.”
Crawl low to the ground and cover your airways.
Before opening the door, touch the door knobs to see if they are hot.
Operate the following acronym to open and use a fire extinguisher: SUCCESS
Remove the pin.
Aim low toward the fire’s base.
Slowly squeeze the handle.
Sweep the nozzle from left to right.