How much time do I have to escape a fire in my home?

No one can answer that question exactly because there are too many variables but tests have shown that a small fire ignited in a seat cushion of a chair and allowed to grow and extend to other combustible furnishing in a typical living room generated enough heat and deadly smoke within just 3 minutes that occupants sleeping elsewhere in the home would likely have been overcome from the smoke if not awakened by a smoke alarm. Rule of thumb: You have approximately three minutes to escape a house fire that occurs at night when residents are sleeping. The earlier a smoke alarm alerts you of a fire, the more likely you will get out alive.