Tool
Home Fire Safety Score
According to USFA/NFIRS · extract 2026
According to USFA National Fire Statistics in this extract, California leads reported annual fires at 168,000 (#1 of 51) while West Virginia leads the per-million fire-death rate at 31.1 (#1 of 51); California's death-rate rank on that ladder is #40.
- 168,000
- California fires (#1 of 51)
- 31.1
- West Virginia deaths/million (#1 of 51)
- #40
- California death-rate rank
- 4.2
- Hawaii deaths/million (lowest)
Volume rank is not death-rate rank. NFIRS participation varies by state. Registry figures, not a safety grade. For informational purposes; does not constitute fire-safety or insurance advice.
Ten questions mapped to NFPA and USFA prevention factors. The score is a checklist tally on this extract, not a professional risk grade. For informational purposes; does not constitute fire-safety or insurance advice.
What you are protecting against
Share of residential fires by cause
- Cooking
Cooking
49 % of fires
- Heating Equipment 15
Heating Equipment
15 % of fires
- Vehicle Fires 14
Vehicle Fires
14 % of fires
- Electrical & Lighting 9
Electrical & Lighting
9 % of fires
- Intentional (Arson) 8
Intentional (Arson)
8 % of fires
- Smoking Materials 6
Smoking Materials
6 % of fires
- Wildland & Brush 5
Wildland & Brush
5 % of fires
- Candles 4
Candles
4 % of fires
What this shows Cooking is the leading cause, accounting for 49% of US home fires. Smoking materials cause a far larger share of deaths than fires, a reminder that the most common causes are not always the deadliest.
About This Tool
This calculator estimates your home fire safety preparedness based on 10 factors identified by the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) and USFA (U.S. Fire Administration) as the most impactful fire prevention measures.
The score is a general assessment tool, not a professional fire risk evaluation. For a thorough assessment, contact your local fire department, many offer free home safety inspections.
Working smoke alarms alone cut fire death risk by approximately 50%. That single factor accounts for the largest portion of the score.
Based on: NFPA fire prevention guidelines, USFA fire safety recommendations, IBHS home hardening research.
Every staffing, station, grant, and fire-incident figure on PlainFireData is rendered from HIFLD (DHS/CISA), USFA, and FEMA AFG public records, no number is typed in by an editor. This tool reads the same HIFLD / USFA / FEMA extracts published on department and state profiles, see methodology for field definitions. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.