- Author
- Hall, J. R., Jr. | Ahrens, M.
- Title
- Home Christmas Tree and Holiday Light Fires.
- Coporate
- National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA
- Report
- NFPA USS39, October 2009, 48 p.
- Keywords
- fire statistics | home fires | fire damage | deaths | injuries | costs | NFIRS | damage | building fires | lighting equipment
- Identifiers
- Christmas trees; holidays; decorative lights; holiday lights
- Abstract
- NFPA estimates that Christmas trees, both natural and artificial, were the item first ignited in an estimated average of 250 reported home structure fires per year during 2003-2007. These fires caused an estimated average of 14 civilian deaths, 26 civilian injuries, and $13.8 million in direct property damage per year. These estimates are based on data from the U.S. Fire Administration's (USFA's) National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) and the National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA's) annual fire department experience survey. During the same period, holiday lights and other decorative lighting with line voltage were involved in an estimated average of 170 home structure fires per year. These fires caused an average of seven civilian deaths, 17 civilian injuries, and $7.9 million in direct property damage per year.