Home Fire Sprinkler Week is due to take place from Sunday, May 10 to Saturday, May 16 2026.
Fire departments and safety advocates across North America are set to promote awareness of how quickly modern home fires can become deadly and the role of fire sprinklers in reducing risk.
Changing fire behaviour in modern homes
The national campaign which is ran by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition (HFSC) will highlight how changes in home construction and contents have significantly altered fire behaviour over recent decades.
Modern furnishings, including synthetic materials, polyurethane foam and plastics burn faster and produce more toxic smoke than traditional materials.
The increasing use of lithium-ion batteries and electronic devices has also contributed to faster developing fires.
As a result, a house fire can become life threatening in as little as two minutes, reducing the time available for detection and safe evacuation.
The role of fire sprinklers in preventing fire fatalities
The HFSC says sprinklers are the only technology capable of automatically stopping a fire from becoming deadly.
Individual sprinkler heads activate in response to heat, targeting the fire at its source, limiting its spread and reducing smoke production.
They also use significantly less water than traditional firefighting methods and can help reduce environmental impact.
Campaign activities and community engagement
Throughout the week, fire departments will support the HFSC digital campaign, sharing daily themed messages and delivering community outreach activities, including live fire demonstrations.
Resources available through the HFSC Studio will support campaign delivery, enabling departments to create materials and engage local audiences with consistent safety messaging.
Lorraine Carli, NFPA Vice President of Outreach and Advocacy and President of the HFSC, said: “Home Fire Sprinkler Week is a great opportunity for us to bring together our digital voices and amplify the message of the tremendous benefits of fire sprinklers across our continent.
“Today’s homebuyers are savvy about safety and when they learn about fire sprinklers, they want them. The virtual reality, digital and other resources underscore not just that we can do better, they underscore exactly how to do better.”
