10/02/2026
Before Fire Prevention Week begins this Sunday, we wanted to take a look back at how this national observance began.
Fire Prevention Week traces its history to one of the most devastating fires in American history, the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The fire began on October 8 and continued into October 9, killing more than 250 people, leaving approximately 100,000 people homeless, destroying more than 17,400 structures, and burning more than 2,000 acres.
Forty years later, fire officials began using the anniversary of the fire to educate the public about fire prevention. What began as Fire Prevention Day eventually grew into Fire Prevention Week. The National Fire Protection Association has sponsored the observance since 1922, and in 1925, President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed Fire Prevention Week a national observance.
Fire Prevention Week is observed each year during the Sunday-to-Saturday period that includes October 9, commemorating the date of the Great Chicago Fire.
Today, Fire Prevention Week is recognized as the longest-running public health observance in the United States. Each year, fire departments across the country use the week to help communities learn simple steps that can prevent fires, injuries, and loss of life.
This year's Fire Prevention Week is October 4-10. Throughout the week, we will be sharing information to help you and your family prevent fires and stay safe at home.
Fire prevention has changed over the years, but its purpose has remained the same: learn from the past and use that knowledge to prevent the next fire.
