You can read Suffolk County Council's statement on our website.
![Councillor Peter Gould](/image-library/peter-gould-ws-hr-1.xb6cb8b20.jpg?width=470&height=256&fit=crop&quality=75&format=webp)
You can read Suffolk County Council's statement on our website.
Arson (deliberate fire setting) is a criminal offence that can lead to loss of life and injury. It can damage property and the environment. Arson has proven links with domestic abuse, terrorism, criminal activity, harassment, fraud and anti-social behaviour.
Arson accounted for 49.8% of all fires attended in 2017/18 by fire and rescue services in England, Scotland and Wales (204,426 fires attended; 101,809 deliberate). This is the largest, single cause of fire attended by fire and rescue services.
The reported economic cost of arson was £1.2 billion to £1.49 billion, with the potential real loss being between £5.73 billion and £11.46 billion.
If you have information on fires that have been started deliberately, call:
The sections below offer some basic advice to help reduce the risk of arson where you live or work.
Make sure that rubbish doesn’t become a ready source of fuel for an arsonist by following these tips:
Fires in parks and open spaces such as woodland, grassland, sports grounds and allotments can kill wildlife and cause widespread damage, as well as polluting the air with harmful products of combustion.
Tips for preventing fires in parks or open spaces:
Arson can be devastating for any commercial business and lead to loss of production and subsequent unemployment. Nearly 60% of businesses never recover from a fire.
Tips for preventing fires in business locations:
Find out more in the guide to making your premises safe from fire (PDF, 1.2MB).
The impact of a deliberate fire at a school goes far beyond the cost of repairs. Pupils may need to be moved and years of hard work by teachers and pupils could be lost or damaged.
Tips for preventing fires in schools:
Contact Fire Prevention Team if you have any concerns around fire setting. Find out more about the Firesetter Intervention Scheme: stopping a child's interest in fire.
If there is a credible threat of arson to a home, we can install fire reduction letterboxes. We will also carry out a Safer Home Visit at the same time.
You can contact Fire Business Support on 01473 260588 to speak to a duty fire safety officer from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Alternatively, you can find out more about fire safety in the home.