Adults 65 and over are twice as likely to be killed or injured in a fire compared to the rest of the population. By the time they reach 75, the risk increases to three times and quadruples at age 85. The US Fire Administration reported 379,600 residential building fires in 2018, 50.7% cooking related, 9.4% heating, 7.5% unintentional, and 6.8% electrical. There were 3,810 fire deaths, 52.5% over the age of 60.
Alaskans are not immune to these statistics. In 2018, 16% of the reported fire fatalities were over 60 while 19% were reported in 2019. The numbers increased to 58% in 2020. The causes of the fires were centered around careless smoking and combustibles too close to a heat source.