Dryers & Appliances Fires
Dryers & Appliances is a lower-share ignition path (4% of residential fires) with a contained death-to-fire ratio (0.25x) in the USFA/NFPA cause table.
USFA National Fire Statistics and NFPA Home Structure Fires reports supply the 4% / 1% pair shown above. Verify with USFA (FEMA) · Methodology.
Dryers & Appliances fires account for 4% of US residential fires, the #9 of 10 most frequent cause tracked here and 1% of fire deaths (a 0.3x fatality index). Source: USFA/NFPA national fire statistics.
- Frequency rank #9 of 10 of tracked causes
- Fatality-index rank #10 of 10 of tracked causes
- 0.3x death-to-fire ratio
- 8% of Cooking fire share
Clothes dryers, washers, and other appliances that malfunction or overheat.
Dryers & Appliances Fire Prevention Tips
- ✓ Clean dryer lint traps after every use
- ✓ Have appliances serviced according to manufacturer schedules
- ✓ Never run dishwashers or dryers while sleeping or away from home
- ✓ Check for recalls on major appliances at cpsc.gov
- ✓ Replace appliances showing signs of malfunction
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I prevent dryers & appliances fires?
Clean dryer lint traps after every use Have appliances serviced according to manufacturer schedules Never run dishwashers or dryers while sleeping or away from home
What percentage of US fires are caused by dryers & appliances?
Dryers & Appliances fires account for approximately 4% of residential fires in the US (#9 of 10 by frequency in this table), and 1% of fire deaths. Source: USFA national fire statistics.
How serious are dryers & appliances fires?
While dryers & appliances fires represent 4% of residential fires, they account for 1% of fire deaths (0.3x death-to-fire ratio), meaning they are often caught earlier or have lower fatality potential per incident.
Closest contained-risk peers to Dryers & Appliances
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.