NFPA Journal - November/December 2019 - 47

twelfth-costliest wildfires in US history, respectively. Three additional California wildfires-the
Ranch Fire, the West Fire, and the Cranston
Fire-were also classified as large-loss fires in
this study. These six fires resulted in a combined
property loss of $12.4 billion.
Major wildfire incidents have been especially
frequent over the last two years. Wildfires caused
94 percent and 96 percent of all property damage
reported in the 2017 and 2018 large-loss studies,
respectively. With $8.5 billion in losses, the Camp
Fire was the third-largest large-loss incident in
NFPA records, surpassed only by the 2001 terrorist
attack on the World Trade Center and the 2017

Large-Loss Fires in the
United States in 2018
RESIDENTIAL
District of Columbia
Month, Time of Alarm,
Dollar Loss
September, 3:21 p.m.,
$47,000,000
Property Characteristics and
Operating Status
This was a four-story, 162-unit
apartment building of unprotected wood-frame construction
with brick veneer. The floor size
was not reported.
Fire Protection Systems
There was a detection system
present, but it was not reported if
the system operated. There was
an automatic suppression system
present. It was not located in the
area of origin but did operate.
Fire Development
The fire of undetermined cause
broke out in the cockloft of the
building and vented through the
roof.
Contributing Factors and
Other Details
On arrival, firefighters initiated
an interior attack, but fire soon
vented through the roof and
floors collapsed, causing firefighters to change to a defensive
attack.
California
Month, Time of Alarm,
Dollar Loss
February, 5:27 p.m., $20,500,000
Property Characteristics and
Operating Status
This was a two-story,
75,000-square-foot
(6,968-square-meter), single-family home. The type of
construction was not reported.
Fire Protection Systems
There were smoke alarms that
operated and alerted the occupant. There was no automatic
suppression system present.
Fire Development
The fire began on the second
floor, but the cause was
undetermined.
Contributing Factors and
Other Details
The loss was estimated at
$20 million to the home and
$500,000 to the contents.
California
Month, Time of Alarm,
Dollar Loss
February, 3:35 p.m., $14,715,000
Property Characteristics and
Operating Status
This was a three-story,
134,836-square-foot
(12,527-square-meter), 45-unit
apartment building of unprotected wood-frame construction.
Fire Protection Systems
There were smoke alarms present, but it was not determined

if they operated. There was no
automatic suppression equipment present.
Fire Development
The fire broke out in a vacant
third-floor apartment. Plumbers were sweating pipes in the
bathroom and ignited wood
framing. The fire traveled to the
attic space and to the first floor
through the plumbing raceway.
Contributing Factors and
Other Details
Five hundred residents were displaced by this fire. One firefighter
and one civilian were injured. The
loss was estimated at $14 million
to the structure and $715,000 to
the contents.
Colorado
Month, Time of Alarm,
Dollar Loss
July, 2 a.m., $13,500,000
Property Characteristics and
Operating Status
This was a three-story,
66,120-square-foot
(6,143-square-meter), 69-unit
apartment building of unprotected wood-frame construction.
Fire Protection Systems
There were smoke alarms in the
units and the alarms activated.
There was no automatic suppression equipment present.
Fire Development
The incendiary fire began on the
first floor; no additional details
on the cause and origin were
reported. An investigation is
ongoing.
Contributing Factors and
Other Details
There were two civilian deaths
and 13 people injured. The loss
was estimated at $12.5 million to
the structure and $1 million to the
contents.
Florida
Month, Time of Alarm,
Dollar Loss
July, 3:33 p.m., $10,500,000
Property Characteristics and
Operating Status
This was a two-story,
25,000-square-foot
(2,323-square-meter), 50-unit
apartment building. The construction type was unprotected
wood-frame construction.
Fire Protection Systems
No information was reported on
detection equipment. There was
no automatic suppression equipment present.
Fire Development
This incendiary fire was started
in a room on the second floor.
Some type of open flame was
used to ignite newspapers and
magazines.
Contributing Factors and

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NFPA Journal - November/December 2019

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