A total of 3.3 percent of responding households reported at least one household fire since January 1987, and 9.1 percent reported having had a fire in the 5 years since January 1983. The presence of children in the household increased the likelihood of a fire. There was no apparent difference in fire rates by property ownership or socioeconomic status. Fire brigades attended between 8 and 12 percent of household fires. Over 80 percent of fires put out by brigades caused 25 British pounds or more damage; whereas, nearly 75 percent of fires not attended by brigades caused less than 25 British pounds of damage. The latter tended to be cooking fires. The most common method used by householders for putting out fires themselves was with a cloth. In the period since January 1987, approximately two-thirds of the respondents had seen or heard something in the papers, on radio, on television, or elsewhere that had made them more aware of the risks of household fires. Thirteen percent of the respondents had improved fire safety in their homes in the year before the survey. 13 tables and 7 notes