SFRS records high number of deliberate fires

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has warned of a potential drain on resources if deliberate fire incidents reach last year’s levels.

Between June and August 2023, SFRS recorded approximately 3,900 deliberate fires.

Of these, more than 3,200 were classified as secondary fires, which include incidents involving derelict buildings, unoccupied buildings, grassland, and refuse.

The statistics noted 87 deliberate fires in derelict buildings and 54 in unoccupied buildings.

Additionally, there were 1,428 deliberate fires affecting grassland and 1,399 deliberate refuse fires.

SFRS launches Safer Summer 2024 campaign

As part of its efforts to combat anti-social behaviour and deliberate fires, SFRS has launched the Safer Summer 2024 campaign.

The campaign is designed to address the risks posed by deliberate fires and to reduce their occurrence during the summer months.

Assistant Chief Officer David Lockhart, SFRS Director of Prevention, Protection and Preparedness, highlighted the strain these fires place on resources: “Firefighters across Scotland were called to over 40 deliberate fires daily last summer which is a needless drain in our resources.”

He added: “Most of these fires were secondary fires, involving derelict buildings, unoccupied buildings, grassland, and refuse.

In terms of derelict buildings in particular, these structures have the potential to cause great risk to members of the public so please do not think of entering them for any reason.”

Collaboration with partners to reduce fire incidents

SFRS is collaborating with partners, including Police Scotland and Fearless, a youth service of Crimestoppers, to identify those responsible for deliberate fires.

Lyndsay McDade, Fearless Scotland Manager at Crimestoppers, urged everyone to contribute to reducing fire risks.

She said: “Deliberate fires are often started with no understanding of how quickly they can get out of hand and cause not only significant damage but serious injury and risk to life.

Fearless works closely with partner agencies, including SFRS, to reduce anti-social behaviour and deliberate fire setting.”

McDade also encouraged anonymous reporting of those responsible for starting fires: “If you know who is responsible for starting unsafe fires in your community you can speak up to our charity 100% anonymously at Fearless.org.

“We can’t track your IP address or any contact details.”

Raising awareness among young people

SFRS is urging parents, carers, and teachers to ensure children and young people are aware of the risks and consequences of deliberate fire setting.

The Service emphasises the importance of community involvement in preventing these incidents and ensuring the safety of the public.

The collaboration with Crimestoppers and Police Scotland aims to create a safer environment by addressing and mitigating the causes of deliberate fires.