Arson Reduction

Deliberately started fires are a serious threat to business premises of all kinds. It is a problem that effects all sections of the population and is not confined only to urban areas.

Arson in the countryside, be it an isolated rural farm or a business in the local market town, can be devastating especially when you take into account the distances fire appliances may have to travel to reach the scene of the fire and the possibility of delayed calls to the fire service due to the remote nature of the fire.

When the public hears the word "arson" it often conjures up the idea of revenge, fraud, financial gain or ideology but by far the biggest threat comes from vandalism. Those involved are generally children or adolescents who set fire to combustible material left easily accessible to them for no reason other than a mindless urge to be destructive.

UK fire statistics indicate that of some 4000 fires each year in retail and distribution premises around 35% are malicious. There are many more small fires dealt with by staff that are mistakenly not reported to the Fire Service. A substantial number of these fires are deliberate.

One in five of all arson attacks in the UK are on residential properties. Every year there are around 15,500 attacks on homes, killing 65 people and injuring a further 2,000.

Arson can be a threat to the following:

• Cars
• Farms & Countryside
• Homes
• Places of Worship
• Schools
• Shops

Further information and guidance on arson reduction for the topics listed above can be found on the Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service website.