Chicago Fire Statistics

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The fire department of Chicago is generally acknowledged to be the best equipped and most efficient in the United States, which means that it is the best equipped and most efficient in the world, for the firemen of this country are called upon to be prepared for and to meet emergencies which do not arise in the cities of Europe.

—The Standard Guide to Chicago For the Year 1891

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Number of Chicago Fires per Year
The Great Fire of 1871 Not Included

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Chicago Fire Statistics 1863-1921
Year	Fires	Loss		Year	Fires	Loss
1863-4	186	$355,600		1892	3,549	$1,521,445
1864-5	193	$651,798		1893	5,224	$3,149,590
1865-6	243	$1,216,466		1894	5,174	$3,254,140
1866-7	315	$2,487,973		1895	5,316	$2,974,760
1867-8	515	$4,315,332		1896	4,414	$1,979,355
1868-9	405	$500,169		1897	5,326	$2,272,990
1869-70	600	$871,905		1898	5,048	$2,651,735
1870-1	669	$2,447,845		1899	6,031	$4,534,065
The Great Fire	1	$168,000,000		1900	5,503	$2,213,699
1871-2	489	$672,800		1901	6,136	$4,296,433
1872-3	441	$680,099		1902	5,125	$4,118,933
1873-4	466	$1,013,246		1903	6,054	$3,062,931
1874-5	473	$2,345,684		1904	6,661	$2,950,254
1875	332	$127,014		1905	6,522	$3,303,929
1876	477	$387,951		1906	6,387	$4,179,235
1877	445	$1,044,997		1907	6,257	$3,937,105
1878	478	$306,317		1908	7,793	$3,873,444
1879	638	$572,082		1909	7,414	$3,046,797
1880	804	$1,135,816		1910	9.083	$4,884,793
1881	895	$921,495		1911	9.151	$3,864,123
1882	981	$569,885		1912	9,410	$4,352,470
1883	1,153	$1,379,736		1913	10,002	$4,798,457
1884	1,278	$968,229		1914	10,534	$5,268,653
1885	1,300	$2,225,184		1915	9,435	$3,186,569
1886	1,543	$1,492,084		1916	11,468	$3,470,978
1887	1,853	$1,839,058		1917	12,034	$4,094,639
1888	1,871	$1,363,427		1918	12,336	$3,462,577
1889	2,075	$2,154,340		1919	14,407	$5,072,232
1890	2,755	$2,092,071		1920	13,922	$6,369,138
1891	3,353	$3,053,874		1921	13,568	$7,462,160

Note: 1875 is for nine months ending 31 December 1875

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Number of Chicago Fires per Year
The Great Fire of 1871 Not Included

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Source: Fire Marshall Reports

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