Can a burnt outlet cause a fire with nothing plugged in?

Yes, an outlet that is already burnt or compromised can easily start an electrical fire even when absolutely nothing is plugged into it. The underlying root cause of a burnt outlet is typically a loose terminal wire connection, a failing push-in back-stab wire, or internal corrosion that creates continuous electrical resistance and arcing under normal house line voltage. Because live 120-volt current continuously energizes the terminal screws inside the junction box regardless of whether an appliance is attached, continuous micro-arcing will keep generating extreme localized heat, melting the plastic faceplate and igniting surrounding wall framing. You can troubleshoot fire risks safely by shutting off the breaker. You can verify that your corrective action is successful when cutting power, removing the faceplate, securing terminal connections, and replacing the burnt receptacle eliminates the hidden heat source and prevents spontaneous ignition.