The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has published details of the latest fire statistics for the UK as a whole, covering the 12-month period up to 31 March 2008. The 'Fire Statistics Monitor' is published quarterly and comprises figures taken from reports submitted to the DCLG on fires and false fire alarms attended by the fire and rescue service across the UK. In particular it describes detailed information on what is known as 'primary' fires - these are defined as fires that have taken place in buildings, vehicles and outdoor structures, as well as any fires involving casualties, rescues or fires attended by five or more appliances.
Some information, albeit less detailed aggregated information is provided on "secondary" fires - these are the majority of outdoor fires including grassland and refuse fires unless they involve casualties or rescues, property loss or five or more appliances attended. Fires in single derelict buildings are regarded as secondary fires. Chimney fires are any fires occurring in occupied buildings where the fire was confined within the chimney structure (and did not involve casualties or rescues or attendance by five or more appliances).
Death of individuals attributed to a fire is counted as a fatality even if death occurred at some point after the event and even if fire was not the cause of death. Information on fatalities included in the Fire Statistics Monitor is provisional, since it is subject to rigorous cross-checking against the cause of death detailed on the death certificates. The main area of uncertainty is whether the fire was the cause of death in road traffic fatalities.
The information detailed in the latest Fire Statistics Monitor can be summarised as follows:
Some information, albeit less detailed aggregated information is provided on "secondary" fires - these are the majority of outdoor fires including grassland and refuse fires unless they involve casualties or rescues, property loss or five or more appliances attended. Fires in single derelict buildings are regarded as secondary fires. Chimney fires are any fires occurring in occupied buildings where the fire was confined within the chimney structure (and did not involve casualties or rescues or attendance by five or more appliances).
Death of individuals attributed to a fire is counted as a fatality even if death occurred at some point after the event and even if fire was not the cause of death. Information on fatalities included in the Fire Statistics Monitor is provisional, since it is subject to rigorous cross-checking against the cause of death detailed on the death certificates. The main area of uncertainty is whether the fire was the cause of death in road traffic fatalities.
The information detailed in the latest Fire Statistics Monitor can be summarised as follows:
- The past 12 months have seen an 8% decrease, compared to 2007/2008 figures - in 2008/2009 the United Kingdom Fire and Rescue Services attended 799,000 fire and false alarm incidents;
- Total UK fires were recorded as totalling 382,000 - an 11% fall since 1988
- UK fire deaths increase by 8% to 500. This figure is contrary to the long-term downward trend;
- Primary fires fell to 141,000 in 2008/2009 (a 10% decrease). Within this figure, dwelling fires are at their lowest since 1977 (52,000, down 5%), fires in other buildings - including workplaces and areas where people gather - are down by 11% to 30,000 and road vehicle fires again fell (by 14 & to 49,000) to their lowest total since 1989;
- It is reported that secondary fires fell to 231,000 (a 12% decrease);
- False alarm attendances fell by 5% to 417,000. This included a 13% fall (to 29,000) in malicious false alarms and a 5% fall (to 270,000) in false alarms due to apparatus.
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