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Nordic Fire Statistics

The purpose of Nordic Fire Statistics is to provide statistics on fire deaths and building fires which are of sufficient quality to allow a comparison of the fire problem across the Nordic countries and Estonia.

Nordic Fire Statistics – a work in progress

Statistics on fire deaths and building fires in the Nordic countries have been published on this website for several years. It is now time to revise the contents and publish statistics in a new way.

For a short period, this site will have some basic statistics covering the most recent years for which data has been compiled. More statistics will become available when the participating countries have agreed on definitions for the new content and provided updated data sets.

Fire deaths

In recent years, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden have experienced a broadly similar level of fire deaths measured as a yearly rate per million population. The level of fire deaths is lower in Iceland, and higher in Estonia.

  • Statistics on fire deaths

    The central authorities in the participating countries follow up all fire deaths that come to their knowledge. If relevant information is available, they make an assessment about the location and cause of the fire, and how the fire has led to the fatal injuries sustained by the fire victims.

    To be included in these statistics, the fire authority must assess that the death has occurred within 30 days due to injuries sustained in a fire (most often burns or the toxic effects of smoke).

    Fire deaths per year 2010 – 2021 

    Diagram showing the number of deaths per year for the Nordic countries and Estonia, from 2010 to 2021. The figures vary quite substantially from year to year. Sweden has more deaths than other countries, from 130 in 2010 to 78 in 2021. Iceland has at most 6 deaths in one year.
    Fire deaths per year and country
    Diagram showing the number of deaths per year for the Nordic countries and Estonia, from 2010 to 2021. The figures vary quite substantially from year to year. Sweden has more deaths than other countries, from 130 in 2010 to 78 in 2021. Iceland has at most 6 deaths in one year. Fire deaths per year and country

    Fire deaths per year 2010 – 2021 (Excel)

    When comparing countries, it is relevant to relate the number of fire deaths to the population in each country. The diagram below shows the yearly rate per million population. It is interesting to note that in recent years, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden have experienced a broadly similar level of fire deaths.

    The level of fire deaths is lower in Iceland, but they have a relatively low population and there are often years when no fire deaths occur. The death rate due to fire is substantially higher in Estonia, but politicians have agreed on the goal of reducing this to the level of the Nordic countries, and the current level is far lower than in 2010.

    Fire deaths per million population 2010 – 2021

    Diagram showing the number of fire deaths per year per million population, from 2010 to 2021. The rate for Iceland varies between 0 and 16. The figures for the other Nordic countries all lie in the range 7 to 16, and in recent years have converged to between 7.3 and 9.3. The rate for Estland is much higher, but has fallen from 52 in 2010 to 29 in 2021.
    Fire deaths per million population 2010 – 2021
    Diagram showing the number of fire deaths per year per million population, from 2010 to 2021. The rate for Iceland varies between 0 and 16. The figures for the other Nordic countries all lie in the range 7 to 16, and in recent years have converged to between 7.3 and 9.3. The rate for Estland is much higher, but has fallen from 52 in 2010 to 29 in 2021. Fire deaths per million population 2010 – 2021

    Fire deaths per million population 2010 – 2021 (Excel) 

    Fire deaths by scene of fire, yearly average 2010 – 2021
    Scene Denmark Estonia Finland Norway Sweden
    Block of flats 21,8 18,8 17,9 10,5 37,4
    House 25,1 21,8 36,2 22,4 37,8
    Summerhouse 1,3 2,4 4,0 2,1 3,4
    Health and social services 7,8 1,3 0,6 2,2 3,5
    Other building 4,0 3,8 2,4 3,4 3,3
    Road vehicles 1,5 0,3 3,8 0,8 7,0
    Other outdoor 1,4 1,0 2,0 3,0 3,6
    Unknown outdoor 0,8 0,0 0,1 0,2 0,1

    Figures for Finland are for 2010-2020.
    Figures for Iceland will be provided when the contents of this website are revised.


    Fire deaths by month of fire, yearly average 2010 – 2021
    Month Denmark Estonia Finland Norway Sweden
    January 7,4 5,6 8,2 7,0 11,9
    February 5,8 6,9 6,3 3,6 9,0
    March 6,9 4,6 6,3 4,7 8,3
    April 5,8 4,4 6,0 3,7 8,3
    May 5,7 3,4 6,2 2,5 9,2
    June 3,9 1,8 3,6 2,5 5,8
    July 2,7 1,8 2,4 2,8 4,8
    August 3,3 1,3 3,9 2,5 4,1
    September 4,0 2,8 5,4 2,3 5,5
    October 4,3 4,7 5,5 3,7 7,4
    November 6,3 3,8 6,5 3,9 9,2
    December 7,7 8,5 6,7 5,5 12,6

    Figures for Finland are for 2010-2020.
    Figures for Iceland will be provided when the contents of this website are revised.

Building fires

In recent years the yearly rate of building fires in the Nordic countries and Estonia has ranged between 600 and 1100 fires per million population.

  • Statistics on building fires

    These statistics concern building fires which the fire and rescue service have been called to, and which are assessed by the fire and rescue service to have caused injury or damage to property.

    All the participating countries present statistics for various kinds of buildings, but the categories are not always comparable, in particular for non-residential buildings. Unfortunately, the only way to present comparable statistics is to group all non-residential buildings together in a single category.

    Building fires per year 2016 – 2021

    Diagram showing the number of building fires per year for the Nordic countries and Estonia, from 2016 to 2021. The figures are fairly stable, with Iceland having approximately 250 building fires per year, Estonia 1100 and the other Nordic countries around 5000 to 6000 building fires.
    Building fires per year 2016 – 2021
    Diagram showing the number of building fires per year for the Nordic countries and Estonia, from 2016 to 2021. The figures are fairly stable, with Iceland having approximately 250 building fires per year, Estonia 1100 and the other Nordic countries around 5000 to 6000 building fires. Building fires per year 2016 – 2021

    Building fires per year 2016 – 2021 (Excel)

    Building fires per million population 2016 – 2021

    Diagram showing the number of building fires per year per million population, from 2010 to 2021. There is a gradual reduction over the period. In 2021 Iceland has the lowest rate at 574, and Finland the highest at 941.
    Building fires per million population 2016 – 2021
    Diagram showing the number of building fires per year per million population, from 2010 to 2021. There is a gradual reduction over the period. In 2021 Iceland has the lowest rate at 574, and Finland the highest at 941. Building fires per million population 2016 – 2021

    Building fires per million population 2016 – 2021 (Excel)

    Building fires by category, yearly average 2016 – 2021
    Category Denmark Estonia Finland Norway Sweden
    Block of flats 495 170 574 674 941
    House 966 134 700 938 861
    Summerhouse 61 27 70 68 98
    Other building 1 304 240 1 036 758 1 331

    Figures for Finland are for 2016-2020.
    Figures for Iceland will be provided when the contents of this website are revised.

    Building fires by month, yearly average 2016 – 2021
    Month Denmark Estonia Finland Norway Sweden
    January 274 54 212 221 292
    February 221 42 178 180 250
    March 238 44 192 200 268
    April 263 54 196 208 289
    May 245 57 232 212 290
    June 251 58 218 198 275
    July 217 51 206 190 263
    August 211 45 196 197 255
    September 199 40 184 200 246
    October 203 40 185 206 255
    November 214 39 183 196 246
    December 290 48 197 230 302

    Figures for Finland are for 2016-2020.
    Figures for Iceland will be provided when the contents of this website are revised.

About Nordic Fire Statistics

The central fire authorities in the Nordic countries all produce fire statistics based on data collected from their fire and rescue services.

Twenty years ago, the directors general for the central fire authorities in the Nordic countries agreed to initiate a collaboration on fire statistics. The aim was to improve the comparability in the fire statistics produced in the various countries, to compare emerging trends and to learn from each other about methods for statistical analysis to better inform the work of fire prevention.

Politicians in Estonia have agreed on the goal of reducing their level of fire deaths to that of the Nordic countries, and Estonia has therefore joined this collaboration to ensure the quality of their benchmarking with Nordic colleagues.

As a result of this cooperation on fire statistics, it is possible to provide statistics on fire deaths and building fires which are of sufficient quality to allow a very basic comparison of the fire problem across the Nordic countries and Estonia.

Contacts

Latest reviewed: 1 December 2023

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