A significant number of the fires attended by the Fire and Rescue Service every year are started deliberately.
Most are small, such as bin, rubbish or grass fires, but even these can escalate quickly and become life-threatening. On more than one occasion, someone setting fire to a bin has led to an entire building being destroyed after the blaze spread.
We work with partners, including the Police and the local authorities, to tackle arson in areas where a particular problem has been identified.
Top tips
To reduce the risk of your property being affected by arson, you should:
- Only put your wheelie bin to the front of your property on the morning of collection. Store it out of sight the rest of the time.
- Don’t overfill your wheelie bin and make sure the lid will close.
- Store rubbish away from any building, while keeping it within the boundaries of your property.
- Make sure your doors, windows, gates, walls and fences are effectively secured, especially at night and if you’re away from the property.
- Park vehicles in a well lit place and off the road where possible. Always keep your car locked.
How you can help
If you know of someone who sets fires deliberately, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.