Topical Fire Report Series

U.S. Department of Homeland Security • U.S. Fire Administration 

National Fire Data Center • Emmitsburg, Maryland 21727 

www.usfa.fema.gov/statistics/

Volume 13, Issue 10 / October 2012

Intentionally Set Fires in 

Residential Buildings (2008–2010)

These topical reports are designed to 

explore facets of the U.S. fire problem as 

depicted through data collected in the U.S. 

Fire Administration’s (USFA’s) National 

Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS). 

Each topical report briefly addresses the 

nature of the specific fire or fire-related 

topic, highlights important findings from 

the data, and may suggest other resources 

to consider for further information. Also 

included are recent examples of fire incidents that demonstrate some of the issues 

addressed in the report or that put the 

report topic in context.

Findings

■ An estimated 16,800 intentionally set fires in residential buildings occur annually in the United 

States. These fires result in an estimated 280 deaths, 775 injuries, and $593 million in 

property loss each year.

■ Five percent of all residential building fires were intentionally set.

■ Lighters (22 percent), heat from other open flame or smoking materials (19 percent), and 

matches (15 percent) were the leading heat sources of intentionally set fires in residential 

buildings.

■ The majority (76 percent) of intentionally set fires in residential buildings occurred in one- or 

two-family dwellings. An additional 19 percent of fires occurred in multifamily dwellings. 

■ Forty-one percent of the intentionally set residential fires occurred in vacant buildings.

■ Rubbish, trash, and waste (8 percent); magazines, newspapers, and writing paper (7 percent); 

and uncontained flammable liquids or gas (6 percent) were the items most often first ignited in 

intentionally set fires in residential buildings. 

From 2008 to 2010, an estimated average of 16,800 

intentionally set fires in residential buildings occurred 

in the United States each year and resulted in an estimated 

annual average of 280 deaths, 775 injuries, and $593 million in property loss.1, 2, 3 Intentional fires are those fires 

that require fire service intervention and are deliberately 

set. These fires may result from the deliberate misuse of a 

heat source, fires of an incendiary nature (arson), as well as 

other deliberate acts. 

From 2008 to 2010, intentionally set fires accounted for 5 

percent of all residential building fires responded to by fire 

departments across the Nation. Annual estimates of intentionally set fires in residential buildings and their associated 

losses for 2008 to 2010 are presented in Table 1.4

Table 1. National Estimates of Intentionally Set Fires and Losses in Residential Buildings 

by Year (2008–2010)

Year Intentionally Set Fires and Losses in Residential Buildings

Fires Deaths Injuries Dollar Loss

2008 18,300 310 825 694,200,000

2009 16,200 265 775 597,100,000

2010 16,000 260 750 489,000,000

Sources: NFIRS 5.0, residential structure fire-loss estimates from the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA’s) annual surveys of fire loss, and the U.S. Fire Administration’s (USFA’s) residential building fire-loss 

estimates.

Notes: 1) Fires are rounded to the nearest 100, deaths to the nearest 5, injuries to the nearest 25, and loss to the nearest hundred thousand dollars.

2) The 2008 and 2009 dollar-loss values were adjusted to their equivalent 2010 dollar-loss values to account for inflation.

This topical report addresses the characteristics of intentionally set fires in residential buildings reported to the National 

Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) between 2008 and 

2010. For the purpose of this report, the term “intentionally set residential fires” is synonymous with “intentionally set fires in residential buildings,” as intentionally set 

residential fires commonly mean those fires that are intentionally set in buildings. “Intentionally set residential fires” 

is used throughout the body of this report; the findings, 

tables, charts, headings, and endnotes reflect the full category, “intentionally set fires in residential buildings.”
TFRS Volume 13, Issue 10/Intentionally Set Fires in Residential Buildings (2008-2010) Page 2

Type of Fire

Building fires are divided into two classes of severity 

in NFIRS: “confined fires,” which are fires confined to 

certain types of equipment or objects and “nonconfined 

fires,” which are not. Confined building fires are small fire 

incidents that are limited in extent, staying within pots, 

fireplaces, or certain other noncombustible containers.5

 

Confined fires rarely result in serious injury or large content 

losses and are expected to have no significant accompanying 

property losses due to flame damage.6

 For these reasons, 

NFIRS allows abbreviated reporting for confined fires; many 

reporting details of these fires are not required and, as a 

result, are often not reported. 

Of the two classes of severity, nonconfined fires accounted 

for 88 percent of intentionally set residential fires (Table 

2). The smaller, confined fires accounted for the remaining 

12 percent (with trash or rubbish fires accounting for 58 

percent of these confined fires). The fire incident records 

coded as “confined” intentionally set residential fires in 

NFIRS had sufficient data to be included in the overall analyses. As a result, the remainder of this report, except for 

the smoke alarm and automatic extinguishing system (AES) 

analyses, addresses all intentionally set fires in residential 

buildings and does not distinguish between confined and 

nonconfined fires.

Table 2. Intentionally Set Fires in Residential Buildings by Type of Incident (2008–2010) 

Incident Type Percent

Nonconfined fires 88.0

Confined fires 12.0

Cooking fire, confined to container 2.9

Chimney or flue fire, confined to chimney or flue 1.9

Incinerator overload or malfunction, fire confined 0.0

Fuel burner/boiler malfunction, fire confined 0.1

Commercial compactor fire, confined to rubbish 0.0

Trash or rubbish fire, contained 7.0

Total 100.0

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Note: Total for confined fires does not add up to 12 percent due to rounding.

Loss Measures

Table 3 presents losses, averaged over the 3-year period for 

2008 to 2010, for all reported intentionally set residential 

fires and all other residential building fires (i.e., excluding 

intentionally set fires).7

 The average losses of fatalities, injuries, and dollar loss for intentionally set residential fires were 

higher than those for all other residential building fires. In 

fact, the fatality rate for intentionally set residential fires was 

more than twice that of other residential building fires.

Table 3. Loss Measures for Intentionally Set Fires in Residential Buildings 

(3-year average, 2008–2010)

Measure Intentionally Set

Residential Building Fires

Residential Building Fires

(Excluding Intentional Fires)

Average Loss:

Fatalities/1,000 Fires 8.3 3.3

Injuries/1,000 Fires 34.6 26.0

Dollar Loss/Fire $21,320 $11,800

Source: NFIRS 5.0. 

Note: 1) Average loss for fatalities and injuries is computed per 1,000 fires; average dollar loss is computed per fire and is rounded to the nearest $10. 

2) When calculating the average dollar loss per fire for 2008–2010, the 2008 and 2009 dollar-loss values were adjusted to their equivalent 2010 dollar-loss values to account for inflation.

3) The category “Residential Building Fires (Excluding Intentional Fires)” does not include fires of unknown cause.
TFRS Volume 13, Issue 10/Intentionally Set Fires in Residential Buildings (2008-2010) Page 3

Where Intentionally Set Fires in 

Residential Buildings Occur 

Property Use

The majority (76 percent) of intentionally set residential 

fires occurred in one- or two-family dwellings (Table 4).8

 

Multifamily and other residential properties accounted for 

an additional 19 and 6 percent of the fires, respectively. 

Other residential properties include barracks, dormitories, 

and boarding/rooming houses among other categories.

Table 4. Intentionally Set Fires in Residential Buildings by Property Use (2008–2010) 

Property Use Intentionally Set Fires in 

Residential Buildings (Percent)

One- or two-family dwellings 75.8

Multifamily dwellings 18.5

Other residential buildings 5.7

Total 100.0

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Occupancy Status 

More than half (56 percent) of intentionally set fires 

occurred in residential buildings that were occupied or 

considered to be in normal use (Table 5). This includes 

properties that are unoccupied for a brief period of time 

such as a house with no one at home. Forty-one percent of 

the intentionally set fires occurred in vacant buildings. This 

percentage was substantially higher than that for all other 

residential building fires—7 percent of all other residential 

building fires occurred in vacant buildings.9

 Of the intentionally set fires occurring in vacant buildings, 54 percent 

of the residences were found to be unsecured while 35 

percent were secured. In 3 percent of the intentional fires, 

the residence was idle or not routinely in use. These types 

of buildings include seasonal properties not in use during 

the off-season.

Table 5. Intentionally Set Fires in Residential Buildings by Occupancy Status (2008–2010) 

Occupancy Status Percent

Occupied (in normal use) 56.0

Vacant 40.8

Vacant and unsecured 22.1

Vacant and secured 14.3

Being demolished 2.0

Under construction 1.2

Under major renovation 1.2

Idle, not routinely used 2.7

Status, other 0.6

Total 100.0

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Notes: Includes only incidents where the occupancy status was specified. Total does not add to 100 percent due to rounding.

When Intentionally Set Fires in Residential Buildings Occur

As shown in Figure 1, intentionally set residential fires occurred mainly in the evening hours, slightly peaking from 9 to 10 

p.m. at 6 percent.10 Fire incidence then declined throughout the night and early morning hours reaching the lowest point 

from 7 to 8 a.m. at 2 percent.
TFRS Volume 13, Issue 10/Intentionally Set Fires in Residential Buildings (2008-2010) Page 4

Figure 1. Intentionally Set Fires in Residential Buildings by Time of Alarm (2008–2010)

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

11PM-Mid

10PM-11PM

9PM-10PM

1PM-2PM2PM-3PM3PM-4PM4PM-5PM5PM-6PM6PM-7PM7PM-8PM8PM-9PM

12PM-1PM

10AM-11AM

11AM-12PM

9AM-10AM

Mid-1AM

1AM-2AM2AM-3AM3AM-4AM4AM-5AM5AM-6AM6AM-7AM7AM-8AM8AM-9AM

Time of Alarm

Percent of Intentionally Set Fires

in Residential Buildings

5.1 4.9

4.6 4.5

3.6

3.2

2.8

2.2 2.4

2.9 3.1

3.4

5.2 5.2 5.3 5.5 5.4 5.3

3.5 3.6

4.4 4.6

5.2

4.1

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Figure 2 illustrates that the percentage of intentionally set 

residential fires ranged from 7 to 9 percent for each month 

throughout the year, peaking slightly in July, but not by 

much more than the previous and following months. From 

March to August, fires fluctuated between 8 and 9 percent, 

accounting for just over half of all intentionally set residential fires (53 percent). While fireworks played a role in 

the July fires, their role was limited to July 4 and 5 when 

fireworks accounted for 21 percent of intentionally set residential fires. 

Figure 2. Intentionally Set Fires in Residential Buildings by Month (2008–2010)

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

12.0

November

December

October

September

August

July

April

May

June

March

February

January

Month of Year

Percent of Intentionally Set Fires in

Residential Buildings

8.4

7.0

8.7 9.0 8.9

8.2

9.3 8.9

8.3

7.8

7.2

8.2

Source: NFIRS 5.0. 

Note: Total does not add to 100 percent due to rounding.
TFRS Volume 13, Issue 10/Intentionally Set Fires in Residential Buildings (2008-2010) Page 5

Where Intentionally Set Fires in Residential 

Buildings Start (Area of Fire Origin)

Intentionally set residential fires most often started in bedrooms (18 percent) as shown in Table 6. Cooking areas and 

kitchens (10 percent) and family rooms or lounge areas (9 

percent) were the next most common areas of fire origin 

in the home. Combined, these three leading areas of fire 

origin accounted for over one third of intentionally set 

residential fires. Also of interest, 5 percent of intentionally 

set residential fires started on exterior wall surfaces, and an 

additional 4 percent started in unspecified outside areas.

Table 6. Leading Areas of Fire Origin in Intentionally Set Fires in Residential Buildings 

(2008-2010)

Area of Origin

Percent of Intentionally Set Fires 

in Residential Buildings

(Unknowns Apportioned)

Bedrooms 17.5

Cooking area, kitchen 9.5

Common room, den, family room, living room, lounge 9.0

Multiple areas 6.1

Function areas, other 5.0

Exterior wall surface 4.7

Unspecified outside areas 4.3

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

How Intentionally Set Fires in Residential 

Buildings Start (Heat Source)

The heat source for 62 percent of intentionally set residential fires was derived from the “heat from open flame or 

smoking material” category (Figure 3). Not surprisingly, 

the subcomponents of this category comprised three of the 

top four specific leading sources of heat in all intentionally 

set residential fires—lighters for cigarettes or cigars (22 

percent), heat from other open flame or smoking materials 

(19 percent), and matches (15 percent). 

The heat source for another 8 percent of intentionally set 

residential fires fell under the “heat from powered equipment” category. The categories “explosive, fireworks,” 

“hot or smoldering object,” and “other heat source” each 

accounted for 7 percent of intentionally set residential fires. 

Figure 3. Sources of Heat in Intentionally Set Fires in Residential Buildings by Major Category 

(2008–2010)

Percent of Intentionally Set Fires in Residential Buildings

0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0 70.0

Undetermined

Chemical, Natural Heat Source

Heat Spread From Another Fire

Multiple Heat Sources

Including Multiple Ignitions

Other Heat Source

Hot or Smoldering Object

Explosive, Fireworks

Heat From Powered Equipment

Heat From Open Flame

or Smoking Material

Percent of Residential Building 

Intentional Fires with Heat Source 

Determined

Percent of All Residential Building 

Intentional Fires

62.1

38.1

8.3

5.1

7.4

4.5

7.1

4.4

6.9

4.2

4.7

2.9

3.2

2.0

0.4

0.3

38.6

Source: NFIRS 5.0. 

Note: Totals do not add to 100 percent due to rounding.
TFRS Volume 13, Issue 10/Intentionally Set Fires in Residential Buildings (2008-2010) Page 6

What Ignites First in Intentionally Set 

Fires in Residential Buildings

Twenty-four percent of the items first ignited in intentionally set residential fires fell under the leading category of 

“general materials” (Figure 4). This category includes items 

such as books, magazines, newspapers, rubbish, and trash. 

An additional 22 percent of the items first ignited fell under 

the “structural component, finish” category. This category 

includes materials such as floor coverings, rugs, carpets, 

or mats as well as exterior sidewall coverings, surfaces, or 

finishes. The third leading category, “soft goods, wearing apparel,” accounted for 18 percent of intentionally set 

residential fires. 

Rubbish, trash, and waste (8 percent); magazines, newspapers, and writing paper (7 percent); and uncontained 

flammable liquids or gas (6 percent) were the specific items 

most often first ignited in intentionally set residential fires.

Figure 4. Item First Ignited in Intentionally Set Fires in Residential Buildings 

by Major Category (2008–2010)

Percent of Intentionally Set Fires in Residential Buildings

0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0

Undetermined

Adornment, Recreational Material, Signs

Storage Supplies

Other Items

Organic Materials

Furniture, Utensils

Liquids, Piping, Filters

Soft Goods, Wearing Apparel

Structural Component, Finish

General Materials

Percent of Residential Building 

Intentional Fires with Item First Ignited 

Determined

Percent of All Residential Building 

Intentional Fires

23.8

17.1

21.6

15.5

18.3

13.1

10.3

7.4

8.6

6.2

7.6

5.5

5.2

3.8

2.9

2.0

1.7

1.2

28.3

Source: NFIRS 5.0. 

Note: Total of all intentionally set fires in residential buildings does not add to 100 percent due to rounding.

Fire Spread in Intentionally Set Fires in 

Residential Buildings

Figure 5 shows the fire spread in intentionally set residential fires. Fifty-two percent of the intentionally set residential fires were confined to the object or room of origin—in 

28 percent of the intentional fires, the fire was confined to 

the object of origin, and an additional 25 percent were confined to the room of origin.11 Thirty-three percent of intentionally set fires were confined to the residential building. 
TFRS Volume 13, Issue 10/Intentionally Set Fires in Residential Buildings (2008-2010) Page 7

Figure 5. Extent of Fire Spread in Intentionally Set Fires in Residential Buildings (2008–2010)

Percent of Intentionally Set Fires in Residential Buildings

0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0 40.0

Beyond Building of Origin

Confined to Building of Origin

Confined to Floor of Origin

Confined to Room of Origin

Confined to Object of Origin 27.8

24.5

8.6

33.3

5.8

Source: NFIRS 5.0. 

Factors Contributing to Ignition in 

Intentionally Set Fires in Residential 

Buildings

Table 7 shows the leading factor contributing to the ignition 

of intentionally set residential fires was “misuse of material or product” (24 percent). Next was “other, unspecified factors contributing to ignition” (23 percent), which 

includes unspecified components that do not fit into any 

other category of contributing ignition factors. “Playing 

with heat source” was the third leading factor at 21 percent. 

The “playing with heat source” factor includes playing with 

lighters, matches, and other open flame or smoking materials. The remaining factors were “flammable liquid used 

to kindle fire” (8 percent) and “abandoned or discarded 

materials or products” (7 percent). 

Table 7. Leading Factors Contributing to Ignition for Intentionally Set Fires 

in Residential Buildings (Where Factor Contributing to Ignition Specified, 2008–2010)

Factors Contributing to Ignition Percent of Intentionally Set Fires in Residential Buildings

Misuse of material or product, other 23.6

Other, unspecified factors contributing to ignition 22.5

Playing with heat source 21.3

Flammable liquid used to kindle fire 8.0

Abandoned or discarded materials or products 7.3

Source: NFIRS 5.0. 

Notes: Includes only incidents where factors that contributed to the ignition of the fire were specified. Multiple factors contributing to fire ignition may be noted for each incident. 

Suppression/Alerting Systems in 

Intentionally Set Fires in Residential 

Buildings

Technologies to detect and extinguish fires have been a 

major contributor in the drop in fire fatalities and injuries 

over the past 30 years. Smoke alarms are now present in 

the majority of residential buildings. In addition, the use of 

residential sprinklers is widely supported by the fire service 

and is gaining support within residential communities.

Smoke alarm data are available for both confined and nonconfined fires, although for confined fires, the data are very 

limited in scope. As different levels of data are collected on 

smoke alarms in confined and nonconfined fires, the analyses are performed separately. Note that the data presented 

in Tables 8 to 10 are the raw counts from the NFIRS data set 

and are not scaled to national estimates of smoke alarms in 

intentionally set residential fires. In addition, NFIRS does 

not allow for the determination of the type of smoke alarm 

(i.e., photoelectric or ionization) or the location of the 

smoke alarm with respect to the area of fire origin.

Smoke Alarms in Nonconfined Intentionally Set 

Fires in Residential Buildings

Smoke alarms were present in 31 percent of nonconfined 

intentionally set residential fires (Table 8). No smoke 

alarms were present in 46 percent of nonconfined intentionally set residential fires, and firefighters were unable 

to determine if a smoke alarm was present in another 24 

percent of these fires. Thus, smoke alarms were potentially 

missing in between 46 and 69 percent of these fires with 

the ability to spread and possibly result in fatalities.
TFRS Volume 13, Issue 10/Intentionally Set Fires in Residential Buildings (2008-2010) Page 8

Table 8. Presence of Smoke Alarms in Nonconfined Intentionally Set Fires 

in Residential Buildings (2008–2010)

Presence of Smoke Alarms Percent

Present 30.5

None present 46.1

Undetermined 23.5

Total 100.0

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Note: Total does not add to 100 percent due to rounding.

Forty-five percent of all nonconfined intentionally set fires 

occurred in residential buildings that were not currently or 

routinely occupied. These occupancies—buildings under 

construction, undergoing major renovation, vacant, and the 

like—are unlikely to have alerting and suppression systems 

that are in place and, if in place, that operate. In fact, only 

5 percent of all nonconfined intentionally set fires in unoccupied residential buildings were reported as having smoke 

alarms that operated. As a result, the detailed smoke alarm 

analyses in the next section focus on nonconfined intentionally set fires in occupied residential buildings only.

Smoke Alarms in Nonconfined Intentionally Set 

Fires in Occupied Residential Buildings

Smoke alarms were reported as present in 47 percent of 

nonconfined intentionally set fires in occupied residential 

buildings (Table 9). In 27 percent of nonconfined intentionally set fires in occupied residential buildings, there were no 

smoke alarms present. Firefighters were unable to determine if a smoke alarm was present in another 27 percent of 

these fires; unfortunately, in 40 percent of the fires where 

the presence of a smoke alarm was undetermined, either the 

flames involved the building of origin or spread beyond it. 

The fires were so large and destructive that it is unlikely the 

presence of a smoke alarm could be determined. 

When smoke alarms were present (47 percent) and the 

alarm operational status is considered, the percentage of 

smoke alarms reported as present consisted of:

•	 smoke alarms present and operated—27 percent; 

•	 present but did not operate—12 percent (alarm failed to 

operate, 6 percent; fire too small, 6 percent); and

•	 present, but operational status unknown—8 percent. 

When the subset of incidents where smoke alarms were 

reported as present is analyzed separately and as a whole, 

smoke alarms were reported to have operated in 58 percent 

of the incidents. Smoke alarms failed to operate in 14 percent of the incidents, and in another 12 percent, the fire was 

too small to activate the alarm. The operational status of the 

alarm was undetermined in 16 percent of these incidents.

Table 9. NFIRS Smoke Alarm Data for Nonconfined Intentionally Set Fires 

in Occupied Residential Buildings (2008-2010)

Presence of 

Smoke Alarms

Smoke Alarm 

Operational Status

Smoke Alarm 

Effectiveness Count Percent

Present

Fire too small to activate smoke alarm 807 5.8

Smoke alarm operated

Smoke alarm alerted occupants, occupants responded 2,646 19.0

Smoke alarm alerted occupants, occupants failed to respond 178 1.3

No occupants 480 3.4

Smoke alarm failed to alert occupants 78 0.6

Undetermined 376 2.7

Smoke alarm failed to operate 878 6.3

Undetermined 1,056 7.6

None present 3,693 26.5

Undetermined 3,726 26.8

Total incidents 13,918 100.0

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Note: The data presented in this table are raw data counts from the NFIRS data set. They do not represent national estimates of smoke alarms in nonconfined intentionally set fires in residential buildings. They are 

presented for informational purposes. 
TFRS Volume 13, Issue 10/Intentionally Set Fires in Residential Buildings (2008-2010) Page 9

Smoke Alarms in Confined Intentionally Set Fires in 

Residential Buildings 

Less information about smoke alarm status is collected for 

confined fires, but the data still give important insights 

about the effectiveness of alerting occupants in these types 

of fires. The analyses presented here do not differentiate 

between occupied and unoccupied residential buildings, 

as this data detail is not required when reporting confined 

fires in NFIRS; however, an assumption may be made that 

confined fires are fires in occupied housing as these types of 

fires are unlikely to be reported in residential buildings that 

are not occupied.

Smoke alarms alerted occupants in 18 percent of confined 

intentionally set residential fires (Table 10). Occupants 

were not alerted by the smoke alarm in 31 percent of the 

confined fires.12 In 51 percent of these confined fires, the 

smoke alarm effectiveness was unknown.

Table 10. NFIRS Smoke Alarm Data for Confined Intentionally Set Fires 

in Residential Buildings (2008-2010)

Smoke Alarm Effectiveness Count Percent

Smoke alarm alerted occupants 641 18.3

Smoke alarm did not alert occupants 1,078 30.7

Unknown 1,791 51.0

Total incidents 3,510 100.0

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Notes: The data presented in this table are raw data counts from the NFIRS data set. They do not represent national estimates of smoke alarms in confined intentionally set fires in residential buildings. They are 

presented for informational purposes. 

Automatic Extinguishing Systems in Nonconfined 

Intentionally Set Fires in Residential Buildings

AES data are available for both confined and nonconfined 

fires, although for confined fires, the data are also very limited in scope. In confined residential building fires, an AES 

was present in less than 1 percent of reported incidents.13, 14 

In addition, the analyses presented here do not differentiate 

between occupied and unoccupied housing, as extremely 

few reported fires in unoccupied housing have AESs present. 

Full or partial AESs were present in only 3 percent of nonconfined intentionally set residential fires (Table 11). While 

the use of residential sprinklers is widely supported by the 

fire service and is gaining support within residential communities, the lack of AESs is not unexpected as they are not 

yet widely installed. In fact, only 3 percent of all nonconfined residential building fires had AESs present.15

Table 11. NFIRS Automatic Extinguishing System (AES) Data for Nonconfined Intentionally 

Set Fires in Residential Buildings (2008-2010)

AES Presence Count Percent

AES present 704 2.7

Partial system present 37 0.1

AES not present 23,607 91.7

Unknown 1,400 5.4

Total incidents 25,748 100.0

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Notes: 1) The data presented in this table are raw data counts from the NFIRS data set. They do not represent national estimates of AESs in nonconfined intentionally set fires in residential buildings. They are 

presented for informational purposes. 

2) Total does not add to 100 percent due to rounding.

Examples

The following are recent examples of intentionally set residential fires reported by the media:

•	 July 2012: Officials believe an early morning fire that 

started in a two-family home in Covington, KY, may 

have been intentionally set. Three people were found to 

be in the home when firefighters from the Covington 

Fire Department arrived on the scene. A neighbor 

reported seeing an individual set the fire before leaving 

the scene and that several people were digging around 

the residence the previous day. The fire damaged the 

back porch of the home, displacing four adults and their 

children. No injuries were reported, and the estimated 

amount of damages was undetermined.16
TFRS Volume 13, Issue 10/Intentionally Set Fires in Residential Buildings (2008-2010) Page 10

•	 July 2012: Firefighters from Zachary, Baker, Central, and 

Slaughter Fire Departments were dispatched to a midmorning fire at a single-family home in Zachary, LA. The 

homeowners were not present at the time of the fire, 

and no injuries were reported. Heavy fire, smoke, and 

water damage was mainly contained to the home’s large, 

attached garage. The home’s value was estimated at $1 

million. A multiagency investigation was conducted, 

and it was determined that the fire was intentionally set. 

One of the homeowners was arrested and charged with 

simple arson and arson with intent to defraud.17

•	 June 2012: A late afternoon fire was reported at a home 

near Rome, NY. A male occupant of the home suffered serious injuries, was removed from the burning 

residence, and transported to a hospital for treatment. 

Investigators ruled that the fire was intentionally set after 

it was discovered that accelerants were used in starting 

the fire. The occupant of the home had not been ruled 

out as a suspect, and the motive for starting the fire 

remained unclear.18

•	 June 2012: Honolulu officials determined that a midafternoon fire at a rental cottage in Aiea, HI, was intentionally set by a 66-year-old male tenant. The fire grew 

rapidly from the rear of the structure and resulted in an 

estimated $70,000 in damages to the home and its contents. The tenant suffered burns to his head and hands 

and was rescued from the burning home by a passing motorist who sustained smoke inhalation injuries. 

Police were unclear of the suspect’s motive.19

NFIRS Data Specifications for Intentionally 

Set Fires in Residential Buildings

Data for this report were extracted from the NFIRS annual 

Public Data Release (PDR) files for 2008, 2009, and 2010. 

Only version 5.0 data were extracted.

Intentionally set residential fires were defined by the following criteria:

•	 Aid Types 3 (mutual aid given) and 4 (automatic 

aid given) were excluded to avoid double counting 

of incidents.

•	 Incident Types 111 to 123 (excluding Incident Type 112):

Incident 

Type Description

111 Building fire

113 Cooking fire, confined to container

114 Chimney or flue fire, confined to chimney or flue

115 Incinerator overload or malfunction, fire confined

116 Fuel burner/boiler malfunction, fire confined

117 Commercial compactor fire, confined to rubbish

118 Trash or rubbish fire, contained

120 Fire in mobile property used as a fixed structure, other

121 Fire in mobile home used as fixed residence

122 Fire in motor home, camper, recreational vehicle

123 Fire in portable building, fixed location

Notes: 1) Incident Types 113–118 do not specify if the structure is a building.

2) Incident Type 112 was included in data analyses prior to 2008 as previous analyses 

showed that Incident Types 111 and 112 were used interchangeably. As of 2008, Incident 

Type 112 is excluded.

•	 Property Use series 400 which consists of the following:

Property 

Use Description

400 Residential, other

419 One- or two-family dwelling, detached, manufactured 

home, mobile home not in transit, duplex

429 Multifamily dwelling

439 Boarding/Rooming house, residential hotels

449 Hotel/Motel, commercial

459 Residential board and care

460 Dormitory-type residence, other

462 Sorority house, fraternity house

464 Barracks, dormitory

•	 Structure Type:

– For Incident Types 113–118:

▪ 1—Enclosed building,

▪ 2—Fixed portable or mobile structure; and

▪ Structure Type not specified (null entry).

– For Incident Types 111 and 120–123:

▪ 1—Enclosed building and

▪ 2—Fixed portable or mobile structure.

•	 The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) Structure Fire Cause 

Methodology was used to determine intentionally set 

fire incidents in residential buildings.20 
TFRS Volume 13, Issue 10/Intentionally Set Fires in Residential Buildings (2008-2010) Page 11

The analyses contained in this report reflect the current 

methodologies used by the USFA. The USFA is committed to providing the best and most current information on 

the United States fire problem and continually examines its 

data and methodology to fulfill this goal. Because of this 

commitment, data collection strategies and methodological changes are possible and do occur. As a result, analyses 

and estimates of the fire problem may change slightly over 

time. Previous analyses and estimates on specific issues (or 

similar issues) may have used different methodologies or 

data definitions and may not be directly comparable to the 

current ones.

To request additional information or to comment on this 

report, visit http://apps.usfa.fema.gov/feedback/

Notes: 

1 National estimates are based on 2008–2010 native version 5.0 data from the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS), 

residential structure fire loss estimates from the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA’s) annual surveys of fire loss, and 

the U.S. Fire Administration’s (USFA’s) residential building fire loss estimates. Fires are rounded to the nearest 100, deaths to the 

nearest 5, injuries to the nearest 25, and loss to the nearest million dollars.

2 The term “residential buildings” includes what are commonly referred to as “homes,” whether they are one- or two-family 

dwellings or multifamily buildings. It also includes manufactured housing, hotels and motels, residential hotels, dormitories, 

assisted living facilities, and halfway houses—residences for formerly institutionalized individuals (patients with mental disabilities, drug addicts, or those formerly incarcerated) that are designed to facilitate their readjustment to private life. The term 

“residential buildings” does not include institutions such as prisons, nursing homes, juvenile care facilities, or hospitals, even 

though people may reside in these facilities for short or long periods of time.

3 In NFIRS, version 5.0, a structure is a constructed item of which a building is one type. In previous versions of NFIRS, the 

term “residential structure” commonly referred to buildings where people live. To coincide with this concept, the definition of 

a residential structure fire for NFIRS 5.0 has, therefore, changed to include only those fires where the NFIRS 5.0 Structure Type 

is 1 or 2 (enclosed building and fixed portable or mobile structure) with a residential property use. Such fires are referred to 

as “residential buildings” to distinguish these buildings from other structures on residential properties that may include fences, 

sheds, and other uninhabitable structures. In addition, confined fire incidents that have a residential property use, but do not 

have a structure type specified, are presumed to be buildings. Nonconfined fire incidents that have a residential property use 

without a structure type specified are considered to be invalid incidents (structure type is a required field) and are not included.

4 Residential Building National Estimates (2003–2010), http://www.usfa.fema.gov/statistics/estimates/index.shtm (released 

December 2011).

5 In NFIRS, confined fires are defined by Incident Type codes 113–118.

6 NFIRS distinguishes between “content” and “property” loss. Content loss includes loss to the contents of a structure due to 

damage by fire, smoke, water, and overhaul. Property loss includes losses to the structure itself or to the property itself. Total 

loss is the sum of the content loss and the property loss. For confined fires, the expectation is that the fire did not spread 

beyond the container (or rubbish for Incident Type code 118), and hence, there was no property damage (damage to the structure itself) from the flames. There could be, however, property damage as a result of smoke, water, and overhaul.

7 The average fire death and fire injury loss rates computed from the national estimates do not agree with average fire 

death and fire injury loss rates computed from NFIRS data alone. The fire death rate computed from national estimates 

is (1,000*(280/16,800)) = 16.7 deaths per 1,000 intentionally set fires in residential buildings, and the fire injury rate is 

(1,000*(775/16,800)) = 46.1 injuries per 1,000 intentionally set fires in residential buildings. In addition, NFPA has a separate 

estimate for intentionally set structure fires. The fire death rate computed from these estimates for intentional structure fires 

for 2010 is (1,000*(200/27,500)) = 7.3 deaths per 1,000 intentional structure fires. Intentional structure fire injuries are not 

reported. (NFPA, Fire Loss in the United States, September 2011).

8 “One- and two-family residential buildings” include detached dwellings, manufactured homes, mobile homes not in transit, and duplexes. “Multifamily residential buildings” include apartments, townhouses, rowhouses, condominiums, and other 

tenement properties. “Other residential buildings” include boarding/rooming houses, hotels/motels, residential board and care 

facilities, dormitory-type residences, sorority/fraternity houses, and barracks.
TFRS Volume 13, Issue 10/Intentionally Set Fires in Residential Buildings (2008-2010) Page 12

9 All other residential building fires exclude intentionally set fires in residential buildings as well as those fires of unknown cause.

10 For the purposes of this report, the time of the fire alarm is used as an approximation for the general time the fire started. 

However, in NFIRS, it is the time the fire was reported to the fire department.

11 Total does not add to 52 percent due to rounding.

12 In confined fires, the entry “smoke alarm did not alert occupants” can mean: no smoke alarm was present, the smoke 

alarm was present but did not operate, the smoke alarm was present and operated but the occupant was already aware of the 

fire, or there were no occupants present at the time of the fire.

13 “Residential Building Fires (2008–2010),” USFA, April 2012, Volume 13, Issue 2, http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/

pdf/statistics/v13i2.pdf.

14 As confined fires codes are designed to capture fires contained to noncombustible containers, it is not recommended to 

code a fire incident as a small, low- or no-loss confined fire incident if the automatic extinguishing system (AES) operated 

and contained the fire as a result. The preferred method is to code the fire as a standard fire incident with fire spread confined to the object of origin and provide the relevant information on AES presence and operation.

15 “Residential Building Fires (2008-2010),” USFA, April 2012, Volume 13, Issue 2, http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/

pdf/statistics/v13i2.pdf.

16 Candace Gamel and Sarah Beth Hensley, “Covington Fire Forces Family Out of Home, May Have Been Intentionally Set,” 

kypost.com, July 11, 2012, http://www.kypost.com/dpps/news/region_northern_kentucky/covington/early-morning-blazedisplaces-two-families_7672271 (accessed August 1, 2012).

17 Stacy Gill, “UPDATE: Zachary Fire Intentionally Set, Pastor Arrested For Arson,” zacharytoday.com, July 9, 2012, 

http://www.zacharytoday.com/view/full_story/19284433/article-UPDATE--Zachary-fire-intentionally-set--pastor-arrestedfor-arson?instance=secondary_sports_left_column (accessed August 1, 2012).

18 Rocco LaDuca, “Rome House Fire Intentionally Set, Motive Remains Unclear,” uticaod.com, June 6, 2012, http://www.

uticaod.com/news/x1067108375/Rome-house-fire-intentionally-set-motive-remains-unclear (accessed August 1, 2012).

19 Sarah Yoro, “Police: Tenant Intentionally Set Fire to Aiea Home,” hawaiinewsnow.com, June 1, 2012, http://www.

hawaiinewsnow.com/story/18676750/police-tenant-intentionally-sets-fire-to-aiea-home (accessed August 1, 2012).

20 The USFA Structure Fire Cause Methodology is designed for structure fires of which buildings are a subset. The cause 

definitions can be found at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/nfirs/tools/fire_cause_category_matrix.shtm.