The number of fires started by cigarettes is decreasing, and the drop may be due to legislation requiring all cigarettes to meet a specific fire-safety standard.
In 2007, Utah became the seventh state to pass fire-safe cigarette legislation, said Ron Morris, the state fire marshal.
Wyoming recently passed a similar law, making it the final state to pass legislation aimed at reducing the number of cigarette fires and fire fatalities, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
The laws are in effect in 43 states, including Utah, and the law will be implemented in all states by next year.
"I have not seen any (fires started by cigarettes) for quite a while," said Mark Becraft, North Davis Fire District deputy fire chief/fire marshal.
Becraft retired from Roy Fire Department in January after 25 years of service and was hired by North Davis Fire District.
"Throughout my career, I've seen it happen numerous times when a cigarette fell on a mattress or inside a couch and started a fire," Becraft said.
Morris said fire-safe cigarettes are wrapped with two or three bands of paper that act as speed bumps to slow down the burning cigarette. If the cigarette is smoldering and the smoker does not inhale, it will extinguish itself once it gets to the speed bumps.
"Too many people have fallen asleep while smoking, causing destruction and death," he said.
Gary Keith, vice president of field operations with the National Fire Protection Association, said even though early data is pointing to a good trend, "it's really too soon for us to make strong bold statements."
New York was the first state to pass the legislation. Officials recently released a report through the Coalition for Fire-Safe Cigarettes that reveals positive results in reducing cigarette-related deaths.
In 2006-07, when it should not have been possible to legally buy a noncompliant cigarette in New York, the number of deaths declined from 38 in 2002-03 to 24, a 35 percent decrease, according to the report.
Other states showing a trend toward fewer fire fatalities caused by cigarettes are Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, Keith said.
"Boston had no (cigarette) fire deaths last year," he said.
Keith said his agency is in the early stages of gathering national data, so it will take time to see if the fire-safe cigarettes are actually making a difference.
Now, fire agencies across the nation are targeting novelty lighters, Morris said.
This year, Utah became the 11th state to pass legislation banning lighters that look too much like toys.
"Parents need to teach their children not to play with lighters, but just because you (a parent) are teaching your child doesn't mean everyone is," Morris said.
Recently, a home in Sunset was damaged when two boys, ages 4 and 5, played with a lighter.
The family got out of the house safely, firefighters said.
In 2009, 30 fires in Utah were caused by lighters, according to a report by the state fire marshal's office.
Those fires caused nearly $300,000 in damage and injured seven people, including two firefighters.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, more than 50 percent of all fires are started by those younger than 5 and 63 percent of all fire fatalities are younger than 5.
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