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Three states, Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico, showed an increase in fire deaths from 1981-1985 to 2011- 2015. However across the U.S., the average number of fire deaths per year was lower in 2011-2015 than in 1981-1985.
While 17 states showed an increase in fire deaths from 2006-2010 to 2011-2015, only 14 showed an increase in the fire death rate per million population. Some fluctuation is normal, particularly in states with smaller populations.
Eight of the ten states with the highest fire death rates in 2011-2015 were in the South. The exceptions were South Dakota and Alaska.
To read full report and compare other states click here.
NFPA Report Data Collection:
1) Fire deaths and fire death rates were obtained from National Center for Health Statistics Vital Statistics System and Census data through CDC’s WISQARS (Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting)
2) Vehicle fire deaths are generally captured with transportation data, not with fire data
3) If the fire was not the direct cause of death, it may not be coded as a fire death. Version 10 of the International Classification of Disease (ICD-10)coding system was introduced in 1999. Consequently, the 1996-2000 period in trends is broken into two: 1996-1998 data collected under ICD-9, while 1999-2000 were collected in the ICD-10 system.
4) Demographic data came from US Census, American Community Survey, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
