THE TEN MOST COSTLY LARGE-LOSS FIRES IN U.S. HISTORY
1 |
Sep. 11, 2001 |
World Trade Center (terrorist attacks) |
$33,400 (3) |
$40,600 (3) |
2 |
Apr. 18, 1906 |
San Francisco Earthquake and Fire |
350 |
8,300 |
3 |
Oct. 8-9, 1871 |
Great Chicago Fire |
168 |
3,000 |
4 |
Oct. 20, 1991 |
Oakland, CA, fire storm |
1,500 |
2,400 |
5 |
Oct. 20, 2007 |
San Diego County, CA, The Southern California Wildland Fires |
1,800 |
1,900 |
6 |
Nov. 9, 1872 |
Great Boston Fire |
75 |
1,300 |
7 |
Oct. 23, 1989 |
Pasadena, Texas, polyolefin plant |
750 |
1,300 |
8 |
Oct. 25, 2003 |
Julian, CA, Wildfire (Cedar) |
1,100 |
1,200 |
9 |
May 4, 2000 |
Los Alamos, NM, wildland fire |
1,000 |
1,200 |
10 |
Feb. 7, 1904 |
Baltimore, MD, Baltimore Conflagration |
50 |
1,200 |
|
(1) Loss estimates are from National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) records. The list is limited to fires for which some reliable dollar loss estimate exists.
(2) Adjustment to 2008 dollars made by the NFPA using the Consumer Price Index, including the U.S. Census Bureau’s estimates of the index for historical times.
(3) Differs from estimates from other sources.
Source: National Fire Protection Association.
THE TEN MOST COSTLY LARGE-LOSS FIRES IN U.S. HISTORY
1 |
Sep. 11, 2001 |
World Trade Center (terrorist attacks) |
$33,400 (3) |
$40,496 (3) |
2 |
Apr. 18, 1906 |
San Francisco Earthquake and Fire |
350 |
8,326 |
3 |
Oct. 8-9, 1871 |
Great Chicago Fire |
168 |
2,997 |
4 |
Oct. 20, 1991 |
Oakland, CA, fire storm |
1,500 |
2,363 |
5 |
Oct. 20, 2007 |
San Diego County, CA, The Southern
California Wildland Fires |
1,800 |
1,862 |
6 |
Nov. 9, 1872 |
Great Boston Fire |
75 |
1,338 |
7 |
Oct. 23, 1989 |
Pasadena, Texas, polyolefin plant |
750 |
1,299 |
8 |
Oct. 25, 2003 |
Julian, CA, Wildfire (Cedar) |
1,060 |
1,237 |
9 |
May 5, 2004 |
Los Alamos, NM, wildland fire |
1,000 |
1,247 |
10 |
Feb. 7, 1904 |
Baltimore, MD, Baltimore Conflagration |
50 |
1,189 |
|
(1) Loss estimates are from National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) records. The list is limited to fires for which some reliable dollar loss estimates exists.
(2) Adjustment to 2009 dollars made by the NFPA using the Consumer Price Index, including the U.S. Census Bureau's estimates of the index for historical times.
(3) Differs from estimates from other sources.
Source: National Fire Protection Association.
THE TEN MOST COSTLY LARGE-LOSS FIRES IN U.S. HISTORY
1 |
Sep. 11, 2001 |
World Trade Center (terrorist attacks) |
$33,400 (3) |
$41,100 (3) |
2 |
Apr. 18, 1906 |
San Francisco Earthquake and Fire |
350 |
8,500 |
3 |
Oct. 8-9, 1871 |
Great Chicago Fire |
168 |
3,000 |
4 |
Oct. 20, 1991 |
Oakland, CA, fire storm |
1,500 |
2,400 |
5 |
Oct. 20, 2007 |
San Diego County, CA, The Southern California Wildland Fires |
1,800 |
1,900 |
6 |
Nov. 9, 1872 |
Great Boston Fire |
75 |
1,400 |
7 |
Oct. 23, 1989 |
Pasadena, Texas, polyolefin plant |
750 |
1,300 |
8 |
May 4, 2000 |
Los Alamos, NM, wildland fire |
1,000 |
1,300 |
9 |
Oct. 25, 2003 |
Julian, CA, Wildfire (Cedar) |
1,100 |
1,300 |
10 |
Feb. 7, 1904 |
Baltimore, MD, Baltimore Conflagration |
50 |
1,200 |
|
(1) Loss estimates are from National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) records. The list is limited to fires for which some reliable dollar loss estimates exists.
(2) Adjustment to 2010 dollars made by the NFPA using the Consumer Price Index, including the U.S. Census Bureau's estimates of the index for historical times.
(3) Differs from estimates from other sources.
Source: National Fire Protection Association.
THE TEN MOST COSTLY LARGE-LOSS FIRES IN U.S. HISTORY
1 |
Sep. 11, 2001 |
World Trade Center (terrorist attacks) |
$33,400 (3) |
$42,400 (3) |
2 |
Apr. 18, 1906 |
San Francisco Earthquake and Fire |
350 |
8,700 |
3 |
Oct. 8-9, 1871 |
Great Chicago Fire |
168 |
3,100 |
4 |
Oct. 20, 1991 |
Oakland, CA, fire storm |
1,500 |
2,500 |
5 |
Oct. 20, 2007 |
San Diego County, CA, The Southern California Wildland Fires |
1,800 |
2,000 |
6 |
Nov. 9, 1872 |
Great Boston Fire |
75 |
1,400 |
7 |
Oct. 23, 1989 |
Pasadena, Texas, polyolefin plant |
750 |
1,400 |
8 |
May 4, 2000 |
Los Alamos, NM, Cerro Grande wildland fire |
1,000 |
1,300 |
9 |
Oct. 25, 2003 |
Julian, CA, Wildfire (Cedar) |
1,100 |
1,300 |
10 |
Feb. 7, 1904 |
Baltimore, MD, Baltimore Conflagration |
50 |
1,200 |
|
(1) Loss estimates are from National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) records. The list is limited to fires for which some reliable dollar loss estimates exists.
(2) Adjustment to 2011 dollars made by the NFPA using the Consumer Price Index, including the U.S. Census Bureau's estimates of the index for historical times.
(3) Differs from estimates from other sources.
Source: National Fire Protection Association.
THE TEN MOST COSTLY LARGE-LOSS FIRES IN U.S. HISTORY
1 |
Sep. 11, 2001 |
World Trade Center (terrorist attacks) |
$33,400 (3) |
$43,300 (3) |
2 |
Apr. 18, 1906 |
San Francisco Earthquake and Fire |
350 |
8,900 |
3 |
Oct. 8-9, 1871 |
Great Chicago Fire |
168 |
3,200 |
4 |
Oct. 20, 1991 |
Oakland, CA, fire storm |
1,500 |
2,500 |
5 |
Oct. 20, 2007 |
San Diego County, CA, The Southern California Wildland Fires |
1,800 |
2,000 |
6 |
Nov. 9, 1872 |
Great Boston Fire |
75 |
1,400 |
7 |
Oct. 23, 1989 |
Pasadena, Texas, polyolefin plant |
750 |
1,400 |
8 |
May 4, 2000 |
Los Alamos, NM, Cerro Grande wildland fire |
1,000 |
1,300 |
9 |
Oct. 25, 2003 |
Julian, CA, Wildfire (Cedar) |
1,100 |
1,300 |
10 |
Feb. 7, 1904 |
Baltimore, MD, Baltimore Conflagration |
50 |
1,300 |
|
(1) Loss estimates are from National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) records. The list is limited to fires for which some reliable dollar loss estimates exists.
(2) Adjustment to 2012 dollars made by the NFPA using the Consumer Price Index, including the U.S. Census Bureau's estimates of the index for historical times.
(3) Differs from inflation-adjusted estimates made by other organizations due to the use of different deflators.
Source: National Fire Protection Association.
TOP 10 MOST COSTLY LARGE-LOSS FIRES IN U.S. HISTORY
|
|
|
Estimated loss (1) |
Rank |
Date |
Location/event |
Dollars when occurred |
In 2013 dollars (2) |
1 |
Sep. 11, 2001 |
World Trade Center (terrorist attacks) |
$33,400 (3) |
$44,000 (3) |
2 |
Apr. 18, 1906 |
San Francisco Earthquake and Fire |
350 |
9,000 |
3 |
Oct. 8-9, 1871 |
Great Chicago Fire |
168 |
3,300 |
4 |
Oct. 20, 1991 |
Oakland, CA, fire storm |
1,500 |
2,600 |
5 |
Oct. 20, 2007 |
San Diego County, CA, The Southern California Firestorm |
1,800 |
2,000 |
6 |
Nov. 9, 1872 |
Great Boston Fire |
75 |
1,500 |
7 |
Oct. 23, 1989 |
Pasadena, Texas, polyolefin plant |
750 |
1,400 |
8 |
May 4, 2000 |
Los Alamos, NM, Cerro Grande wildland fire |
1,000 |
1,400 |
9 |
Oct. 25, 2003 |
Julian, CA, Cedar wildland fire |
1,100 |
1,300 |
10 |
Feb. 7, 1904 |
Baltimore, MD, Baltimore Conflagration |
50 |
1,300 |
|
(1) Loss estimates are from National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) records. The list is limited to fires for which some reliable dollar loss estimates exists.
(2) Adjustment to 2013 dollars made by the NFPA using the Consumer Price Index, including the U.S. Census Bureau's estimates of the index for historical times.
(3) Differs from inflation-adjusted estimates made by other organizations due to the use of different deflators.
Source: Reproduced with permission from Large-Loss Fires in the United States, 2013 by Stephen G. Badger, ©National Fire Protection Association. www.nfpa.org/research/reports-and-statistics.
Top 10 Most Costly Large-Loss Fires In U.S. History
|
|
|
Estimated loss (1) |
Rank |
Date |
Location/event |
Dollars when occurred |
In 2014 dollars (2) |
1 |
Sep. 11, 2001 |
World Trade Center (terrorist attacks) |
$33,400 (3) |
$44,700 (3) |
2 |
Apr. 18, 1906 |
San Francisco Earthquake and Fire |
350 |
9,150 |
3 |
Oct. 8-9, 1871 |
Great Chicago Fire |
168 |
3,350 |
4 |
Oct. 20, 1991 |
Oakland, CA, fire storm |
1,500 |
2,640 |
5 |
Oct. 20, 2007 |
San Diego County, CA, The Southern California Firestorm |
1,800 |
2,030 |
6 |
Nov. 9, 1872 |
Great Boston Fire |
75 |
1,520 |
7 |
Oct. 23, 1989 |
Pasadena, Texas, polyolefin plant |
750 |
1,420 |
8 |
May 4, 2000 |
Los Alamos, NM, Cerro Grande wildland fire |
1,000 |
1,420 |
9 |
Oct. 25, 2003 |
Julian, CA, Cedar wildland fire |
1,100 |
1,320 |
10 |
Feb. 7, 1904 |
Baltimore, MD, Baltimore Conflagration |
50 |
1,320 |
|
(1) Loss estimates are from National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) records. The list is limited to fires for which some reliable dollar loss estimates exists.
(2) Adjustment to 2013 dollars made by the NFPA using the Consumer Price Index, including the U.S. Census Bureau's estimates of the index for historical times; adjusted to 2014 dollars by the Insurance Information Institute using the Bureau of Labor Statistics Inflation Calculator.
(3) Differs from inflation-adjusted estimates made by other organizations due to the use of different deflators.
Source: Reproduced with permission from Large-Loss Fires in the United States, 2015 by Stephen G. Badger, ©National Fire Protection Association. www.nfpa.org/research/reports-and-statistics.
Top 10 Costliest Large-Loss Fires In U.S. History
|
|
|
Estimated loss (1) |
Rank |
Date |
Location/event |
Dollars when occurred |
In 2015 dollars (2) |
1 |
Sep. 11, 2001 |
World Trade Center (terrorist attacks) |
$33,400 (3) |
$44,770 (3) |
2 |
Apr. 18, 1906 |
San Francisco Earthquake and Fire |
350 |
9,160 |
3 |
Oct. 8-9, 1871 |
Great Chicago Fire |
168 |
3,360 |
4 |
Oct. 20, 1991 |
Oakland, CA, firestorm |
1,500 |
2,650 |
5 |
Oct. 20, 2007 |
San Diego County, CA, The Southern California Firestorm |
1,800 |
2,030 |
6 |
Nov. 9, 1872 |
Great Boston Fire |
75 |
1,530 |
7 |
Sep. 12, 2015 |
Valley Fire, CA, wildland urban interface fire |
1,500 |
1,500 |
8 |
Oct. 23, 1989 |
Pasadena, Texas, polyolefin plant |
750 |
1,420 |
9 |
May 4, 2000 |
Los Alamos, NM, Cerro Grande wildland fire |
1,000 |
1,420 |
10 |
Oct. 25, 2003 |
Julian, CA, Cedar wildland fire |
1,100 |
1,320 |
|
(1) Loss estimates are from National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) records. The list is limited to fires for which some reliable dollar loss estimates exists.
(2) Adjustment to 2013 dollars made by the NFPA using the Consumer Price Index, including the U.S. Census Bureau's estimates of the index for historical times; adjusted to 2015 dollars by the Insurance Information Institute using the Bureau of Labor Statistics Inflation Calculator.
(3) Differs from inflation-adjusted estimates made by other organizations due to the use of different deflators.
Source: Reproduced with permission from Large-Loss Fires in the United States, 2015 by Stephen G. Badger, ©National Fire Protection Association. www.nfpa.org/research/reports-and-statistics.
Top 10 Costliest Large-Loss Fires In U.S. History
|
|
|
Estimated loss (1) |
Rank |
Date |
Location/event |
Dollars when occurred |
In 2016 dollars (2) |
1 |
Sep. 11, 2001 |
World Trade Center (terrorist attacks) |
$33,400 (3) |
$45,290 |
2 |
Apr. 18, 1906 |
San Francisco Earthquake and Fire |
350 |
9,330 |
3 |
Oct. 8-9, 1871 |
Great Chicago Fire |
168 |
3,410 |
4 |
Oct. 20, 1991 |
Oakland, CA, firestorm |
1,500 |
2,680 |
5 |
Oct. 20, 2007 |
San Diego County, CA, The Southern California Firestorm |
1,800 |
2,060 |
6 |
Nov. 9, 1872 |
Great Boston Fire |
75 |
1,550 |
7 |
Sep. 12, 2015 |
Valley Fire, CA, wildland urban interface fire |
1,500 |
1,520 |
8 |
May 4, 2000 |
Los Alamos, NM, Cerro Grande wildland fire |
1,000 |
1,450 |
9 |
Oct. 23, 1989 |
Pasadena, Texas, polyolefin plant |
750 |
1,440 |
10 |
Oct. 25, 2003 |
Julian, CA, Cedar wildland fire |
1,100 |
1,340 |
|
(1) Loss estimates are from National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) records. The list is limited to fires for which some reliable dollar loss estimates exists.
(2) Adjustment to 2013 dollars made by the NFPA using the Consumer Price Index, including the U.S. Census Bureau's estimates of the index for historical times; adjusted to 2016 dollars by the Insurance Information Institute using the Bureau of Labor Statistics Inflation Calculator.
(3) Differs from inflation-adjusted estimates made by other organizations due to the use of different deflators.
Source: Reproduced with permission from Large-Loss Fires in the United States, 2016 by Stephen G. Badger, ©National Fire Protection Association. www.nfpa.org.
Top 10 Costliest Large-Loss Fires In U.S. History
|
|
|
Estimated loss (1) |
Rank |
Date |
Location/event |
Dollars when occurred |
In 2017 dollars (2) |
1 |
Sep. 11, 2001 |
World Trade Center (terrorist attacks) |
$33,400 (3) |
$46,300 (3) |
2 |
Oct. 8, 2017 |
Northern, CA, wildland urban interface fire |
10,000 |
10,000 |
3 |
Apr. 18, 1906 |
San Francisco Earthquake and Fire |
350 |
9,500 |
4 |
Oct. 8-9, 1871 |
Great Chicago Fire |
168 |
3,400 |
5 |
Oct. 20, 1991 |
Oakland, CA, firestorm |
1,500 |
2,700 |
6 |
Oct. 20, 2007 |
San Diego County, CA, The Southern California Firestorm |
1,800 |
2,100 |
7 |
Dec. 2017 |
Southern, CA, wildland urban interface fire |
1,800 |
2,100 |
8 |
Sep. 12, 2015 |
Valley Fire, CA, wildland urban interface fire |
1,500 |
1,600 |
9 |
Nov. 9, 1872 |
Great Boston Fire |
75 |
1,500 |
10 |
Oct. 23, 1989 |
Pasadena, Texas, polyolefin plant |
750 |
1,500 |
|
(1) Loss estimates are from National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) records. The list is limited to fires for which some reliable dollar loss estimates exist.
(2) Adjustment to 2017 dollars made by the NFPA using the Consumer Price Index, including the U.S. Census Bureau's estimates of the index for historical times.
(3) Differs from inflation-adjusted estimates made by other organizations due to the use of different deflators.
Source: Reproduced with permission, © 2017, National Fire Protection Association https://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Data-research-and-tools/US-Fire-Problem.
Top 10 Costliest Large-Loss Fires In U.S. History
|
|
|
Estimated loss (1) |
Rank |
Date |
Location/event |
Dollars when occurred |
In 2018 dollars (2) |
1 |
Sep. 11, 2001 |
World Trade Center (terrorist attacks) |
$33,400 |
$47,400 (3) |
2 |
Oct. 8, 2017 |
Northern CA Wildland Urban Interface fire |
10,000 |
10,200 |
3 |
Apr. 18, 1906 |
San Francisco Earthquake and Fire |
350 |
9,700 |
4 |
Nov. 8, 2018 |
Camp Wildland Urban Interface fire |
8,500 |
8,500 |
5 |
Oct. 8-9, 1871 |
Great Chicago Fire |
168 |
3,500 |
6 |
Nov. 8, 2018 |
Woolsey Wildland Urban Interface fire |
2,900 |
2,900 |
7 |
Oct. 20, 1991 |
Oakland, CA, firestorm |
1,500 |
2,800 |
8 |
Oct. 20, 2007 |
San Diego County, CA, The Southern California Firestorm |
1,800 |
2,200 |
9 |
Dec. 14, 2017 |
Southern CA Wildland Urban Interface fire |
1,800 |
1,800 |
10 |
Sep. 12, 2015 |
Valley Fire, CA, Wildland Urban Interface fire |
1,500 |
1,600 |
|
(1) Loss estimates are from National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) records. The list is limited to fires for which some reliable dollar loss estimates exists.
(2) Adjustment to 2018 dollars made by the NFPA using the Consumer Price Index, including the U.S. Census Bureau's estimates of the index for historical times.
(3) Differs from inflation-adjusted estimates made by other organizations due to the use of different deflators.
Source: Reproduced with permission, ©2019 National Fire Protection Association www.nfpa.org.
Top 10 Costliest Large-Loss Fires In U.S. History
|
|
|
Estimated loss (1) |
Rank |
Date |
Location/event |
Dollars when occurred |
In 2020 dollars (2) |
1 |
Sep. 11, 2001 |
World Trade Center (terrorist attacks) |
$33,400 |
$48,536 (3) |
2 |
Oct. 8, 2017 |
Northern CA Wildland Urban Interface fire |
10,000 |
10,504 |
3 |
Apr. 18, 1906 |
San Francisco Earthquake and Fire |
350 |
9,973 |
4 |
Nov. 8, 2018 |
Camp Wildland Urban Interface fire |
8,500 |
8,738 |
5 |
Oct. 8-9, 1871 |
Great Chicago Fire |
168 |
3,599 |
6 |
Nov. 8, 2018 |
Woolsey Wildland Urban Interface fire |
2,900 |
2,981 |
7 |
Oct. 20, 1991 |
Oakland, CA, firestorm |
1,500 |
2,829 |
8 |
Oct. 20, 2007 |
San Diego County, CA, The Southern California Firestorm |
1,800 |
2,232 |
9 |
Dec. 14, 2017 |
Southern CA Wildland Urban Interface fire |
1,800 |
1,892 |
10 |
Sep. 12, 2015 |
Valley Fire, CA, Wildland Urban Interface fire |
1,500 |
1,633 |
|
(1) Loss estimates are from National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) records. The list is limited to fires for which some reliable dollar loss estimates exists.
(2) Adjustment to 2020 dollars made by the Insurance Information Institute using the Consumer Price Index.
(3) Differs from inflation-adjusted estimates made by other organizations due to the use of different deflators.
Source: ©National Fire Protection Association. www.nfpa.org
Top 10 Costliest Large-Loss Fires In U.S. History
|
|
|
Estimated loss (1) |
Rank |
Date |
Location/event |
Dollars when occurred |
In 2020 dollars (2) |
1 |
Sep. 11, 2001 |
World Trade Center (terrorist attacks) |
$33,400 |
$48,900 (3) |
2 |
Oct. 8, 2017 |
Northern CA Wildland Urban Interface fire |
10,000 |
10,600 |
3 |
Apr. 18, 1906 |
San Francisco Earthquake and Fire |
350 |
10,100 |
4 |
Nov. 8, 2018 |
Camp Wildland Urban Interface fire |
8,500 |
8,700 |
5 |
Aug, 2021 |
"Siege" wildfire, Northern California (4) |
4,200 |
4,200 |
6 |
Oct. 8-9, 1871 |
Great Chicago Fire |
168 |
3,600 |
7 |
July, 2021 |
Navy ship under repair, San Diego, California |
3,000 |
3,000 |
8 |
Nov. 8, 2018 |
Woolsey Wildland Urban Interface fire |
2,900 |
3,000 |
9 |
Oct. 20, 1991 |
Oakland, CA, firestorm, Wildland Urban Interface fire |
1,500 |
2,900 |
10 |
Oct. 20, 2007 |
San Diego County, CA, The Southern California Firestorm |
1,800 |
2,200 |
|
(1) Loss estimates are from National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) records. The list is limited to fires for which some reliable dollar loss estimates exists.
(2) Adjustment to 2020 dollars made by the National Fire Protection Association using the Consumer Price Index.
(3) Differs from inflation-adjusted estimates made by other organizations due to the use of different collection criteria and deflators.
(4) Includes multiple fires.
Source: ©National Fire Protection Association. www.nfpa.org/research/reports-and-statistics.