The investigation reported in this manuscript was undertaken to determine methods of reducing the rural fire waste in Iowa. As a part of the general project, “An Investigation of Wind and Fire Losses to Farm Buildings in Iowa,” it initiates a cumulative study of rural fire losses. Reports recorded in the state fire marshal’s office including, with few exceptions, all the losses from all parts of the state, whether or not insured, were used.

While it is planned to continue this study over a period of years in order to average irregularities which occur from year to year, there seemed to be some rather significant characteristics in the data recorded for the years 1930 and 1931 which warranted this report. These data have been carefully tabulated and analyzed with respect to the following items.

a. Trends of state and national fire losses.

b. Distribution of fire waste by location, magnitude, property damaged and time of occurrence.

c. Causes of rural fires.

d. Rainfall and rural fires.

e. Tenancy and rural fires.