Arson toll cut by summer campaign

ARSON across the region was reduced by 15 per cent this summer after a joint campaign by Yorkshire's four fire services.

All four fire services reported a "massive" drop in deliberate small fires during the school holiday period, with 283 fewer incidents across the region this year compared to the same period in 2009.

This drop in incidents, a spokesman for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said, represents a saving of more than 560,000, based on the cost of dealing with small fires.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Brian Robson, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue's head of community safety, said: "All four fire and rescue services in Yorkshire have worked extremely hard on this common issue and I'm glad to say we've succeeded in keeping deliberate small fire numbers lower this summer.

"But arson is an all year round problem. It diverts fire service resources from more serious incidents and safety work, costs the taxpayer millions of pounds and potentially puts lives at risk.

"That's why our work to prevent small deliberate fires starting goes on, with the support of the public, schools and all our other partners."

Prior to the summer holidays, arson reduction initiatives across Yorkshire and the Humber included one-to-one sessions with known firesetters and their parents, diversionary activities, "youth engagement" courses and visits to hundreds of schools.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Parents were also educated on how to spot if their child could be involved in setting fires.

According to the latest figures available, the average cost of dealing with a deliberate "secondary fire" is 2,000. A secondary fire is defined as a smaller fire – such as a bin or grass fire – which does not threaten life or property.

In the school holiday period in 2009 there were 1,988 deliberate secondary fires set in Yorkshire and the Humber, compared to 1,705 this year.