Heating Fire Safety

Although trending downward since the early 1980s, heating fires remained the second leading cause of home fires in 2021. An estimated 32,200 home heating fires were reported to fire departments within the United States. These fires caused an estimated 190 deaths, 625 injuries and $442 million in property loss.

Did you know:

Home portable heater fires were only 3% of all home heating fires annually for 2017-2019, but they accounted for 41% of fatal heating fires in homes.

More home heating fire statistics

Prevent home heating fires: Remind residents about safe heating with space heaters, wood stoves and fireplaces with our free outreach resources.

Messages to share

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Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from all heat sources including fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators, space heaters or candles.

Never use an oven to heat your home.

Turn space heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.

Maintain heating equipment and chimneys by having them cleaned and inspected each year by a professional.

Social media graphics and stock photos

Have chimneys and vents cleaned and inspected at least once a year.

Pictographs

Pictographs can help overcome literacy barriers by communicating messages with pictures. Our pictographs will help you to communicate heating fire safety messages to high-risk populations.