Consumer Product Safety Commission Clothes Dryer & Lint Ignition Report:

“Lint begins to accumulate inside a dryer chassis upon first use. Lint accumulates inside a dryer even with properly vented exhaust ducting and with a properly maintained lint screen. Lint accumulates on the dryer’s components, including the heater and the dryer floor. Seals in the dryer’s interior exhaust venting may not be adequate to prevent linty air from escaping into the dryer’s interior.”

According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), “the most likely items to ignite first are clothing near the dryer, as well as dust, fiber, lint, etc. This can be any place that collects dust and lint, such as within the dryer chassis, on the lint screen, around the dryer or in the dryer duct that carries the lint from the dryer to the outside of the home.”