The short film exposing the real cost of deliberate fire setting

TWFRS launches film to combat deliberate fire setting

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) has launched a short film to highlight the real impact of deliberate fire setting across the North East.

The campaign comes as the service prepares for one of its busiest periods of the year following the clocks going back on Sunday 26 October 2025.

According to TWFRS, firefighters responded to 683 deliberate fires between 17 October and 17 November 2024.

These incidents involved crews being mobilised to nearly 700 avoidable callouts, diverting resources from potentially life-threatening emergencies.

The new campaign aims to prevent a repeat of these numbers by raising public awareness of the consequences of anti-social fire behaviour.

Just A Normal Day film launched in Gateshead

At the centre of the initiative is Just A Normal Day, a short film commissioned and funded by TWFRS.

The project was developed in collaboration with Digital Voice, Gateshead Council and Gateshead Youth Justice Service.

Based on real events, the film tells the story of a serious deliberate fire through the perspectives of those affected and the professionals involved in prevention and response.

TWFRS confirmed that Just A Normal Day will form part of its Fire Safety Intervention Programme.

The programme supports young people under 18 who are involved in, or at risk of, fire setting by helping them and their families understand the dangers and long-term consequences.

Community and police partnership during darker nights

Paul Russell, Area Manager for Community Safety at Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Deliberate fires have a devastating impact on our community – they destroy property, harm the environment, and in the worst cases, cost lives.

“Even a small fire can quickly get out of control, putting both the person who started it and others at serious risk.

“Every year, our crews attend thousands of deliberate fires, draining resources and potentially delaying responses to life-threatening emergencies.

“We urge everyone to consider the consequences of anti-social behaviour – deliberate fire-setting isn’t just dangerous, it can be deadly.”

Chief Inspector Rob Bosson of Northumbria Police said: “We hope everyone across the North East enjoys the upcoming Bonfire Night period.

“As always, we’ll be working closely with our partners during this time to deal with any issues as they arise and to proactively prevent any disorder from occurring.

“But we’d also like to ask people to exercise some personal responsibility around what they are doing and how it might affect those who may not feel as comfortable with the darker nights.

“As a Force, our priority is to keep the public safe and our multi-agency operation is in place to do just this.

“Anybody who is concerned about anti-social behaviour in their area is asked to report it to us by speaking to an officer on patrol, by sending us a direct message on our social media channels, or by getting in touch on our website.

“If a crime is ongoing, always call 999.”

Reporting deliberate fire setting

TWFRS is encouraging professionals working with young people to use Just A Normal Day as a discussion tool to illustrate the human cost of deliberate fire behaviour.

The film can be viewed on the TWFRS website under the Fire Safety Interventions page.

The public can report deliberate fire setting anonymously through FireStoppers.

Reports can be made by calling 0800 169 5558 or visiting www.firestoppersreport.co.uk.

Addressing deliberate fire risk through prevention and intervention

The TWFRS campaign is directly relevant to fire prevention officers, community safety leads and youth intervention practitioners.

It demonstrates how fire services can combine education, film media and partnership working to reduce deliberate fire incidents.

The inclusion of the film within the Fire Safety Intervention Programme shows a structured approach to early prevention targeting at-risk youth.

For law enforcement and local authority safety teams, the campaign highlights coordinated strategies for handling anti-social behaviour linked to fire setting.

Operational fire commanders and resource planners may also draw on the data shared by TWFRS to anticipate seasonal risk increases during darker nights and adjust deployment accordingly.