All the way. Every time. Every year, almost 1,000 smokers and nonsmokers are killed in home fires caused by cigarettes and other smoking materials, making this the #1 cause of home fire deaths in the United States. Most fires caused by smoking materials start on beds or furniture, or in trash.

Can a cigarette cause a house fire?

Smoking materials, including cigarettes, pipes, and cigars, started an estimated 17,200 home structure fires reported to U.S. fire departments in 2014. ... Smoking materials caused 5% of reported home fires, 21% of home fire deaths, 10% of home fire injuries, and 6% of the direct property damage from home fires.

Can ashes from a cigarette start a fire?

While some people may use the ashtray inside of their vehicles to extinguish the butt, Foster said even the ashes flicked from out window off a cigarette can be enough to spark a fire in dry summer conditions. “Any embers will do it,” he said, noting it's a $500 fine for discarding cigarette butts out of a car window.