MDHHS warns of smoking and vaping fire risks as part of Fire Prevention Month

LANSING, Mich – In recognition of October as Fire Prevention Month, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Smoke-Free Housing Initiative is raising awareness about the critical role that smoking and vaping play in fire risks, in addition to the serious health issues they can cause.

Smoking remains the leading cause of fatal fires in Michigan, accounting for 48% in 2024 and 25% of all fire deaths so far in 2025. Of these, 11% are linked to smoking while on medical oxygen. These fires often start when smoking materials, like cigarettes or hot ashes, are left unattended or are not properly discarded, potentially causing furniture, bedding or trash to catch fire.

Fire Prevention Month coincides with the National Fire Prevention Association’s  Fire Prevention Week that starts Sunday, Oct. 5. This year’s theme focuses on lithium-ion batteries, which are used to power e-cigarettes and vapes. Lithium-ion batteries can overheat, catch fire or even explode if damaged or misused.

“Creating smoke-free and vape-free environments is not only a public health priority — it’s critical for fire safety,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive. “By increasing access to smoke-free housing and supporting Michigan residents who want to quit smoking or vaping, we can save lives and reduce fire-related deaths, injuries and property damage.”

The benefits of smoke-free housing include:

• Reduction in fire risk from smoking materials and e-cigarette lithium-ion batteries.
• Protection for residents from the harms of secondhand smoke and aerosol exposure.
• Lower cleaning and maintenance costs for homeowners and rental property managers.

Free smoke-free housing technical assistance and resources are available to support residents, property managers, public health partners and fire departments at Michigan.gov/SmokeFreeHousing. To learn safety tips to reduce the risk of house fires, visit MI Prevention.

Free tobacco and nicotine quit support is available through the National Cancer Institute's Smoking Quitline at 1–877–44U–QUIT (1–877–448–7848).

For more tobacco information and resources, visit Michigan.gov/Tobacco.

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