Can a light bulb cause fire?

Yes it can. If a light bulb breaks, the exposed filament will burn out within a couple of seconds and can ignite something with the spark when the filament breaks. Special bulbs can be made for explosive environments to minimize the risk of ignition, such as lighting at a refueling station.

A light bulb can also be in close proximity to a combustible substance when it is operating and can cause a fire by making the combustible substance too hot. Florescent lights are less likely to cause fires because they run cooler and are safer in hazardous environments where a conventional light bulb would not be good.

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No. The filament will burn out in milliseconds not seconds and not enough time to ignite anything in a normal atmosphere. Special bulbs are not made for explosive environments it is the fixture that the bulb goes into that have the explosion proof rating. Fluorescent lamps in hazardous environments again are protected by the fixture that they are installed into.

If the light bulb breaks the filament will be exposed to oxygen in the air and burn itself open. It is when the light bulb is in close proximity to a combustible substance when it is operating, that a fire hazard becomes a reality.