Arson - the facts.

Arson remains the largest single cause of fire in England and Wales and research has estimated that the overall annual cost of arson to the economy in this area is around £2.53 billion.  The human cost has also been high.  In the last decade there have been around 2.3 million deliberate fires resulting in over 25000 injuries and over 900 deaths.

In an average week in England, arson results in:-

               - 1600 deliberately set primary fires
               - 50 injuries
               - 2 deaths
               - and a cost to society of at least £45 million.

The numbers of deliberate fires had generally been increasing throughout the 1990's to a peak in 2001, since when the trend has been downwards.  In the year ending on 30 September 2005, the number of deliberate primary fires in England fell by 17% to 67900.  The main reasons for this include a 15% fall in deliberate fires in homes (down to 8400) and an 18% fall in deliberate vehicle fires (down to 41400).

Source - Arson Control Forum Annual Report 2006.

Arson - the figures.

Please see the document on the right for figures and pie charts on deliberate and accidental fires.