Keeping Score: Q3 2025 Fire Statistics

Raleigh Fire Department gathers data to drive strategic decision-making, optimize operations, improve public safety, and justify resource allocation. Data helps Raleigh Fire see patterns in incidents, pinpoint high-risk areas, and prove the effectiveness of their intervention efforts.

During the third quarter of this year, the number of fires increased by five percent. There were 301 fires, compared to 285 in the second quarter of 2024. This is unusual for the fall as typically the season features wetter conditions. "However, this year we were still deep within a drought and that led to extremely dry conditions, increasing numbers of outside fires," says Capt. James Pearce of the Raleigh Fire Department.

Number of Cooking Fires Climbing Again

Fires related to the leading cause of house fires - unattended cooking - increased. There were 43 fires compared to the second quarter's 38 fires (a 13-percent jump). "Cooking fires in the home tend to increase because when the temperatures start falling, more people are cooking and cooking indoors," says Pearce.

The number of emergency medical services calls that the Raleigh Fire Department responded continued to increase. RFD responded to 9,212 calls, compared to 9,104 EMS calls during the first quarter. Fifty-eight percent of all RFD responses were medical calls (the percentage was 59 during the previous quarter).

Financial losses stemming from fires continued to drop significantly - the total was $1.6 million, compared to $2.3 million in the previous quarter. Since the fourth quarter of 2024, financial losses have decreased by more than 60 percent. But instead of seeing a longer-term trend, Pearce points out that fire losses tend to fluctuate. "Losses are always hard to quantify as it depends on many factors such as where a fire event occurs and what conditions led to the fire," he says.

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