NFPA Fire Loss Statistics in the USA 2008

515,000 structure fires, decrease of 2.9% from 2007
Of these structure fires, 403,000 or 78%, were residential fires
A fire department responded to a fire somewhere in the U.S. every 22 sec.
3,320 civilian deaths due to fire in 2008, increase of 3.2% from 2007 (one every 158 min.)
2,755 civilian deaths in residential fires (83% of total), decrease of 3.8% from 2007
16,705 civilian fire injuries occurred in 2008, a decrease of 5.5% from 2007 (one every 31 min.)
13,560 of all civilian injuries occurred in residential properties, while 1,400 occurred in nonresidential structure fires.
An estimated 30,500 structure fires were deliberately set (decrease of 6.2% from 2007)
Incendiary or suspicious fires resulted in 315 civilian deaths
Property damage as a result of fire is estimated at $15,478,000,000 in 2008, an increase of 5.7% from 2007

Data courtesy of: Fire Loss in the United States 2008, August 2009 Report, Michael J. Karter Jr., National Fire Protection Association - Fire Analysis and Research Division

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Fire Loss Statistics in the USA for 2008