Heating Equipment Fires
Heating Equipment is both frequent (15% of fires) and high-intensity on deaths (19%; 1.27x index).
Incidence share (15%) is the primary USFA National Fire Statistics signal for this cause. Verify with USFA (FEMA) · Methodology.
Heating Equipment fires account for 15% of US residential fires, the #2 of 10 most frequent cause tracked here and 19% of fire deaths (a 1.3x fatality index). Source: USFA/NFPA national fire statistics.
- Frequency rank #2 of 10 of tracked causes
- Fatality-index rank #3 of 10 of tracked causes
- 1.3x death-to-fire ratio
- 31% of Cooking fire share
Heating equipment (furnaces, fireplaces, space heaters) is the second leading cause of home fires.
Heating Equipment Fire Prevention Tips
- ✓ Keep space heaters at least 3 feet from combustibles
- ✓ Have your chimney cleaned and inspected annually
- ✓ Never use outdoor heating equipment indoors
- ✓ Replace any heating equipment older than 10 years
- ✓ Turn off portable heaters when leaving a room or going to sleep
Frequently Asked Questions
How serious are heating equipment fires?
Heating Equipment fires carry elevated fatality risk: they account for 19% of fire deaths despite representing only 15% of total fires (1.3x death-to-fire ratio).
What percentage of US fires are caused by heating equipment?
Heating Equipment fires account for approximately 15% of residential fires in the US (#2 of 10 by frequency in this table), and 19% of fire deaths. Source: USFA national fire statistics.
How can I prevent heating equipment fires?
Keep space heaters at least 3 feet from combustibles Have your chimney cleaned and inspected annually Never use outdoor heating equipment indoors
Nearest fatality-index peers to Heating Equipment
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.