NFIRS Data Snapshot November 2021

Thanksgiving Day Fires in 

Residential Buildings (2017-2019)

For each year from 2017 to 2019, an 

estimated average of 2,300 residential 

building fires were reported to fire 

departments in the U.S. on Thanksgiving 

Day. These fires caused an estimated 

annual average of 5 deaths, 25 injuries 

and $26 million in property loss.1

Loss measures for Thanksgiving Day and non-Thanksgiving Day fires in residential buildings (3-year 

average, 2017-2019) 

Although voluntary, the National Fire Incident Reporting System 

(NFIRS) is the world’s largest national, annual database of fire incident 

information. By contributing to the NFIRS, the fire service is helping in 

making data-based decisions from local budget development to the 

identification of national preparedness initiatives. It is important that 

fire departments participate in the NFIRS and critical that the data they 

report is complete and accurate so that sound decisions can be made.

Loss measure Thanksgiving Day fires in 

residential buildings

Non-Thanksgiving Day fires in 

residential buildings

Average loss:

Fatalities/1,000 fires 1.9 6.2

Injuries/1,000 fires 11.1 25.5

Dollar loss/fire $9,570 $18,770

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

The average number of reported residential building fires on Thanksgiving Day was more than double (2.3 times more) 

the average number of fires in residential buildings on all other days. The average losses for these fires, however, were 

less than the same measures for non-Thanksgiving Day fires in residential buildings.2

Cooking fires in residential buildings occurred more often 

on Thanksgiving Day than any other day of the year. Cooking 

was, by far, the leading cause of all Thanksgiving Day fires 

in residential buildings at 74% followed by heating at 8%. 

By comparison, cooking was the cause of 51% of residential 

building fires that occurred on all days of the year other than 

Thanksgiving. 

Causes of Thanksgiving Day fires in residential 

buildings (2017-2019)

Cooking

73.5%

Heating

7.7%

18.8%

All other causes

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Note:	 Percent	of	Thanksgiving	Day	fires	in	residential	buildings	with	

sufficient	data	to	determine	cause.

National Fire Data Center

16825 S. Seton Ave.

Emmitsburg, MD 21727

usfa.fema.gov
O v e r h a l f ( 5 4 % ) o f 

Thanksgiving Day fires 

in residential buildings 

occurred from 10 a.m. to 

5 p.m., when many people 

are preparing Thanksgiving 

dinner. Fires then declined 

throughout the evening. 

This stands in contrast to 

the rest of the year, when 

residential building fires 

peaked during “normal” 

dinnertime hours of 5 to 

8 p.m.

Thanksgiving Day fires in residential buildings by time of alarm (2017-2019)

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

9.0

10.0

11 p.m. - Mid

10 - 11 p.m.

9 - 10 p.m.

1 - 2 p.m.2 - 3 p.m.3 - 4 p.m.4 - 5 p.m.5 - 6 p.m.6 - 7 p.m.7 - 8 p.m.8 - 9 p.m.

12 - 1 p.m.

11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

10 - 11 a.m.

9 - 10 a.m.

1 - 2 a.m.2 - 3 a.m.3 - 4 a.m.4 - 5 a.m.5 - 6 a.m.6 - 7 a.m.7 - 8 a.m.8 - 9 a.m.

Mid - 1 a.m.

2.31.7 2.0

1.1 1.6

2.5

4.1

4.9

6.8

7.7 8.4 8.8 8.2

7.1 6.7

5.9

4.1 3.9

2.9 2.4 1.9 1.6 1.8 1.5

Time of alarm

Percent of

Thanksgiving fires

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

Note:	 Total does not add up to 100% due to rounding.

Extent of fire spread in Thanksgiving Day fires in residential 

buildings (2017-2019)

Percent of Thanksgiving Day fires in residential buildings

Fire spread

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Beyond building of origin

Limited to building of origin

Limited to floor of origin

Limited to room of origin

Limited to object of origin 75.45

11.02

2.55

9.33

1.65

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

In 75% of Thanksgiving Day fires in 

residential buildings, the fire was 

limited to the object of origin. An 

additional 11% of these fires were 

limited to the room of origin. The 

remaining 14% of Thanksgiving Day 

fires in residential buildings extended 

beyond the room of origin. Annually 

among all other residential building 

fires, 56% were limited to the object 

of origin, an additional 19% were 

limited to the room of origin, and the 

remaining 25% extended beyond the 

room of origin.

Most Thanksgiving Day fires in residential buildings took 

place in one- and two-family dwellings (60%) followed by 

multifamily dwellings (33%). This is fairly comparable to 

non-Thanksgiving Day fires in residential buildings, with 

one- and two-family dwellings at 63%, multifamily dwellings 

at 29%, and other dwellings at 9%.3

Thanksgiving Day fires in residential buildings by 

general property type (2017-2019)

Other

7.7%

Multifamily

dwellings

32.6%

One- and 

two-family

dwellings

59.7%

Source: NFIRS 5.0.

For additional information on fire prevention and public education, visit https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/.

For additional fire statistics, please visit https://www.usfa.fema.gov/data/statistics/.

Notes: 1Thanksgiving Day fires are defined as fires that occurred on Nov. 23, 2017, Nov. 22, 2018, and Nov. 28, 2019. Estimates of fires are rounded to the nearest 100,

deaths to the nearest 5, injuries to the nearest 25, and losses to the nearest million. Sources: NFIRS and the National Fire Protection Association.

2The average loss measures computed from the raw NFIRS data in the loss measures table will differ from the average loss measures computed from national

estimates. The fire death rate computed from national estimates is (1,000 x (5/2,300)) = 2.2 deaths per 1,000 Thanksgiving Day fires in residential buildings, and

the fire injury rate is (1,000 x (25/2,300)) = 10.9 injuries per 1,000 Thanksgiving Day fires in residential buildings. Average loss for fatalities and injuries is computed

per 1,000 fires. Average dollar loss is computed per fire and rounded to the nearest $10. The 2017 and 2018 dollar-loss values were adjusted to 2019 dollars.

	 3Total does not add up to 100% due to rounding.