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The United Kingdom Fire and Rescue Services attended 876,300 fire and false alarm incidents in the 12 months to 30 September 2006 - a slight increase on the previous 12 months. There were 482 fire deaths in this period - down 1% on the previous 12 months. Dwelling fire deaths fell by 9% to 342, the lowest total since records began. However, all fire death figures for 2006 should be treated with caution as they are still provisional and subject to change. Primary fires fell by 5% to 162,000. This is the lowest total since 1985. Within this dwelling fires hit a 25 year low (56,400, down 2%), fires in other buildings - including workplaces and areas where people gather - are at their lowest since 1963 (down 7% to 33,200) and road vehicle fires again fell (by 9% to 60,600) to their lowest total since 1990. Secondary fires rose by 6% to 267,100 as there was a large increase in grassland fires (37%). These fires are closely linked to temperature, with July 2006 being the hottest July on record. Attendances at false alarms dropped by 1% to 436,500. Within this there was a 15% fall in malicious false alarms and a slight decrease in false alarms due to apparatus.

Every year, electrical fires result in thousands of injuries, hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage and, in some cases, even death. While some fires are caused by faulty products, many more are caused by the misuse and poor maintenance of electrical equipment, incorrectly installed wiring, overloaded circuits and misapplied extension cords. Smoke alarms, fire extinguishers and escape ladders are all examples of emergency equipment used in homes to take action when a fire occurs. A device called an Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter, or AFCI, is a residential circuit breaker designed to detect arcing faults and thus prevent fires from occurring in the first place. Arcing can occur when you're hanging a picture and inadvertently pierce a wire in the wall, when old wires fray or when you string extension cords together to run fans or space heaters. Approximately 2,300 injuries, 67,800 fires and 485 deaths occur each year that can be associated with home wiring, totaling $868 million in property losses. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that "AFCI devices may address 50 percent or more of these fires."

The fire death rate among people over the age of 65 is twice as high as the national average, according to the United States Fire Administration (USFA). In addition, the fire death rate among people between ages 75 and 85 is three times the national average and after age 85, it increases to four times the national average. These statistics are especially alarming when researchers estimate that by 2030, the 65 and older population will exceed 70 million people.

Heating devices are being blamed for three fires in a six-hour period Wednesday night into early Thursday, prompting state fire officials to urge residents to use caution as the winter season gets underway.

According to the U.S. Fire Administration,* home electrical problems accounted for an estimated 67,800 fires and $868 million in property losses in 2003. Electrical fires also cause an estimated 485 deaths annually and injure almost 2,300 more individuals. For this reason, the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) suggests that homeowners consider installing AFCI protection in general purpose circuits throughout the home.