Reference page
Candle fire
safety statistics.
A sourced U.S. reference for writers, planners, educators, and anyone who wants to understand the patterns behind home fires started by candles.
Last updated October 21, 2026. All figures below are from the stated reporting period.
The numbers
Good candlelight starts with a clear view of the risk.
These figures come from the National Fire Protection Association's analysis of U.S. home structure fires whose heat source was a candle. The study period is 2020 through 2024, so the page labels that period plainly rather than presenting multi-year estimates as current-year counts.
5,894
estimated home fires a year
U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated annual average of 5,894 home structure fires whose heat source was a candle from 2020 through 2024.
NFPA, 2020-2024 data63
civilian deaths a year
Those candle-started home fires caused an estimated annual average of 63 civilian deaths during the same 2020 through 2024 period.
NFPA, 2020-2024 data532
civilian injuries a year
The same NFPA analysis estimates an annual average of 532 civilian injuries from home fires started by candles.
NFPA, 2020-2024 data$286M
direct property damage a year
The estimated annual average direct property damage from these fires was $286 million.
NFPA, 2020-2024 data21%
involved an unattended or misused candle
In 21% of home structure candle fires, the candle was left unattended, discarded, or otherwise misused.
NFPA, 2020-2024 data36%
started in bedrooms
More than one-third of home candle fires began in bedrooms, making placement and extinguishing before sleep especially important.
NFPA, 2020-2024 data90
injuries per 1,000 reported candle fires
The injury rate was nearly three times the rate for all reported home fire causes.
NFPA, 2020-2024 data2%
of reported home fires
Candles were the heat source for 2% of reported home fires, 2% of home fire deaths, 5% of home fire injuries, and 3% of direct property damage.
NFPA, 2020-2024 dataWhat the data points to
Distance and attention do most of the safety work.
The largest documented pattern is not a mysterious failure. It is a flammable piece of decor, furniture, bedding, curtain, paper, or clothing ending up too close to an open flame. That makes the space around a candle part of the arrangement, not an afterthought.
Bedrooms deserve particular care because 36% of reported home candle fires began there in the NFPA analysis. A candle should be fully extinguished before anyone leaves the room or goes to sleep.
For practical home guidance, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends keeping candles away from anything that can catch fire, using a stable heat-resistant surface, never leaving them unattended, and extinguishing them before sleep.
Read Consumer Product Safety Commission candle guidanceFor a safer setting
Simple placement rules for pillar candles.
- 01
Give the flame a clear boundary
Place every lit candle on a stable, heat-resistant holder or tray, with open space around the full perimeter.
- 02
Keep fabrics and paper well away
Menus, dried florals, drapery, books, gift wrap, and seasonal decor can make a beautiful surface feel finished, but they do not belong near a flame.
- 03
Plan for the room after dark
Make extinguishing the candle part of leaving the room, not the final thing someone remembers after the lights are off.
Methodology and sources
Built to be cited accurately.
This page summarizes published U.S. fire data. Each statistic above is drawn from the National Fire Protection Association's Safety with candles research summary, covering annual averages for 2020 through 2024. Supplemental placement guidance comes from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Clara Custom Candles does not collect or estimate these figures.
- National Fire Protection Association, Safety with candles, 2020-2024 data
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, candle fire-safety guidance, 2023
Suggested citation
Clara Custom Candles. “Candle Fire Safety Statistics.” Updated October 21, 2026. https://claracustomcandles.com/candle-fire-safety-statistics
Candle care