More than 17,000 fires have been started deliberately in Merseyside since 2019, according to a new report.
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service has attended 31,181 incidents since 2019, with 17,467 of these being deliberate fires.
Fire and rescue services across the UK attended fewer incidents last year. However, deliberate fires continue to waste valuable resources and put lives in danger.
Figures obtained by Public Interest Lawyers found that Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service has attended 31,181 primary and secondary fires over the past five years, with 55% of these being deliberate fires.
Primary fires are potentially more serious fires that cause harm to people or damage to property.
From 2019 to 2020, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service attended 5,638 primary and secondary fires, which was the second-lowest number of fires over the past five years.
Two years later, the number of incidents increased to 6,920 despite restrictions and lockdowns during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over the past year, the service has experienced a drop in primary and secondary fires, with the total standing at 5,363 in 2023/24.
Fire and rescue services across the UK attended 600,324 incidents in the year ending March 2024, a decrease of 3.6% compared with the previous year, which was 622,659.
There were 138,977 fires, which was a decrease of 22% compared with the previous year of 178,867.
Despite this positive drop in fires across the UK, a worrying percentage of these incidents are deliberate fires, which can lead to injuries.
These deliberately set fires commonly include bins, skips, fly-tipped waste, derelict buildings, dry grass and heathland.
Deliberately set fires are dangerous and are a criminal offence. They waste time, money and keep fire crews away from real emergencies.
Victims of deliberate fires may lose all their property, be made homeless or be seriously injured.
There have been 63 deliberate fire injuries recorded by Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service since 2019, with the highest annual total coming in 2020/21, standing at 14.
The impact of arson isn’t just financial, it can significantly affect a person’s emotional well-being and sense of security.
Infographic Copyright: Public Interest Lawyers
