随着温度的下降, the appeal of curling up on the sofa with a fluffy blanket and a cup of hot chocolate increases. Many people tend to stay indoors in the cooler months, 他们的家变得温暖, safe havens occasionally permeated by the aroma of holiday meals or gingerbread cookies.

但随着更多时间呆在室内, 熔炉和加热器, 厨房电器也会长期工作, these seemingly cozy circumstances can quickly turn tragic. Westfield compiled a list of the most common causes of reported house fires from data collected by the 全国消防协会 2015 - 2019年. The numbers are unambiguous: House fires are more frequent in the cooler months. The report also shows the rate of fires peaks from 5 p.m. 到8点.m., when people with typical daytime work, school, and activity schedules return home.

美国各地的消防部门.S. responded to an estimated average of 346,800 home fire calls each year between 2015 and 2019. An average of 2,620 people died each year in that timeframe, and over 11,000 were injured. 房屋火灾造成的财产损失为7美元.30亿年.

The following are the most common culprits of house fires, all of which should be placed on your household safety watchlist to prevent what should be a joyous time of year turning taking a potentially devastating turn.

#5. 吸烟的材料

• Percent of total house fires caused by smoking materials: 5%
• Percent of total house fire deaths: 23% (#1 leading cause)
• Percent of total house fire injuries: 9% (#4 leading cause)
• Percent of total direct house fire property damage: 7% (#6 leading cause)

在20世纪80年代，超过30%的美国人.S. population smoked; by 2019, the number had just about halved. 吸烟人口的减少 减少了房屋火灾的数量 caused by smoking materials, but not their lethality.

根据NFPA的报告, while the number of deaths from fires sourced to smoking materials in 2016 was 64% lower than in 1980, 这也是自2006年以来的最高水平. 身体残疾, 是睡着了, 受酒精或毒品影响的, and other conditions limiting people's ability to escape from smoke and flames contribute to smoking-related fire casualties.

#4. 有意的

• Percent of total house fires caused by intentional fires: 7%
• Percent of total house fire deaths: 15% (#5 leading cause)
• Percent of total house fire injuries: 7% (#5 leading cause)
• Percent of total direct house fire property damage: 8% (#5 leading cause)

有意的ly started fires may originate through everyday activities like lighting a barbecue grill or a backyard bonfire. 这种行为可能导致房屋意外起火. Controlled burns—those used to clear land or to protect forest health—can also spiral out of control leading to property damage and loss of life.纵火，定义为"the act of knowingly burning personal property without consent or with unlawful intent,也属于这一类. The penalties for arson in private houses vary between states and by the degree of damage. 故意纵火每年造成大约400人死亡.

#3. 配电及照明设备

• Percent of total house fires caused by electrical distribution and lighting equipment: 9%
• Percent of total house fire deaths: 16% (#4 leading cause)
• Percent of total house fire injuries: 10% (#3 leading cause)
• Percent of total direct house fire property damage: 18% (#1 leading cause)

Electrical malfunctions, such as 电弧故障s, can occur in any electricity-powered equipment. An 电弧故障 is a high-power discharge between eroded or corroded conductors. 这类故障可能发生在家庭内部, especially if an electrical outlet has begun to degrade or was installed incorrectly.

A high level of electrical current can produce enough heat to ignite a fire. 防止这种类型的房屋火灾, 寻找破旧的电器电线, 受损的连接器, loose wires in junction boxes or electrical devices, 还有故障开关.

#2. 加热设备

• Percent of total house fires caused by heating equipment: 13%
• Percent of total house fire deaths: 18% (#3 leading cause)
• Percent of total house fire injuries: 12% (#2 leading cause)
• Percent of total direct house fire property damage: 14% (#3 leading cause)

加热设备 fires follow a clear seasonal pattern—they happen more often in December, 1月, 和2月. 固定或便携式空间加热器占 超过80%的死亡 与家庭供暖火灾有关.

Over half of such casualties result from leaving heating equipment too close to clothing, 软垫家具, 床垫, 或床上用品. Another cause of these kinds of fires is the lack of proper cleaning and maintenance of fireplaces and central heating systems.

#1. 烹饪

• 烹饪引起的房屋火灾占总火灾的49%
• Percent of total house fire deaths: 20% (#2 leading cause)
• Percent of total house fire injuries: 42% (#1 leading cause)
• Percent of total direct house fire property damage: 16% (#2 leading cause)

Even though most cooking-related fires are minor, an 平均每天报告470例 in 2018. 报告的烹饪火灾数量达到高峰, 也许不足为奇的是, 感恩节和圣诞节期间. More alarming still is that there were more cooking fire-related deaths in 2014-2018 than there were 30 years prior, despite advancements in electric and gas ranges and other cooking appliances during the intervening years. Commonly, people are napping or engaged in other activities when the fires start.

适当的风险防范, 避免在炉子上放置无人监督的食物, 在烤箱里, or in other cooking appliances such as an air fryer or convection oven is crucial. Be aware that households with electrical ranges are at higher risk than those with gas ranges.

玛莎·桑多瓦尔市 is a bilingual bicultural journalist with 30+ years of experience in TV, 打印, 广播, 以及美国的数字媒体, 厄瓜多尔和西班牙. Martha is a news anchor, writer, reporter and interviewer.