Firefighters tackle over 4,000 deliberate blazes since 2019

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service attended over 15,000 incidents since 2019, with a number of these being deliberate fires, a new investigation has revealed.

Figures obtained by Public Interest Lawyers found that the Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service has attended 15,817 primary and secondary fires over the past five years, with over 25% of these being deliberate fires.

Primary fires are potentially more serious fires that cause harm to people or damage to property. Secondary fires are generally small outdoor fires, not involving people or property and these include refuse fires, grassland fires and fires in derelict buildings or vehicles. From 2019 to 2020, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service attended 3,253 primary and secondary fires, which was the third-highest number of fires over the past five years.

Two years later, this number decreased to 3,026, caused by restrictions and lockdowns during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past year, the service has experienced a drop in primary and secondary fires, with the total standing at 2,791 in 2023/24.

Fire Rescue Services (FRSs) attended 600,324 incidents in the year ending March 2024, a decrease of 3.6% compared with the previous year (622,659). Of these incidents, there were 138,977 fires, which was a decrease of 22% compared with the previous year (178,867). 

Despite this positive drop in fires across the UK, a worrying percentage of these incidents are deliberate fires, which can lead to injuries and fatalities. Deliberately set fires are dangerous and are a criminal offence. They waste time, money and keep fire crews away from real emergencies. These deliberately set fires commonly include bins, skips, fly-tipped waste, derelict buildings, dry grass and heathland. Victims of deliberate fires may lose all their property, be made homeless or be seriously injured.

Public Interest Lawyers also obtained figures on the number of injuries caused by deliberate fires across the UK.  There have been 25 deliberate fire injuries recorded by the Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service since 2019, with the highest annual total coming in 2022/23, standing at 7.

Whilst the impact of lockdowns in 2021 will have depressed the number of deliberate cases, the figures show that not only is arson the leading single cause of the fire but highlight the extent to which the increasing threat of arson must be taken seriously. Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service covers a wide area when attending fire incidents, and this is broken down by the fires that councils report.

Based on figures gathered from the service, the areas where the most fires have occurred since 2019 have been revealed. Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole logged the most fires with 4,676, with Wiltshire and Dorset also seeing over 4,500 incidents take place. The impact of arson isn’t just financial; it can significantly affect a person’s emotional well-being and sense of security.

Public Interest Lawyers offers free advice and support to those who have suffered burn injuries. They operate a 24-hour helpline and claim online form, which you can access on their website.