New USFA Report

USFA Releases Attic Fires in Residential Buildings Report

The Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) issued a special report today examining the characteristics of Attic Fires in Residential Buildings. Developed by USFA's National Fire Data Center, the report is based on 2006 to 2008 data from the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS).

According to the report:

• An estimated 10,000 attic fires in residential buildings occur annually in the United States, resulting in an estimated average of 30 deaths, 125 injuries, and $477 million in property damage.
• The leading cause of all attic fires is electrical malfunction (43 percent).
• The most common heat source is electrical arcing (37 percent).
• Almost all residential building attic fires are nonconfined (99 percent) and a third of all residential building attic fires spread to involve the entire building.
• Ninety percent of residential attic fires occur in one- and two-family residential buildings.
• Residential building attic fires are most prevalent in December (12 percent) and January (11 percent) and peak between the hours of 4 and 8 p.m.