National Fire Statistics Continue to Fall

Fire Statistics Monitor: Covering period up to 30 September 2006

The latest national fire statistics covering the 12-month period up to 30 September 2006 continue to show a fall in the total number of primary fires - down 5 per cent and now at their lowest total since 1985.

The Fire Statistics Monitor is published quarterly by Communities and Local Government and includes provisional figures on fires, fire deaths and injuries, and false alarm calls.

Key statistics in today's monitor include:

• The United Kingdom Fire and Rescue Services attended 876,300 fire and false alarm incidents in the 12 months to 30 September 2006 - a slight increase on the previous 12 months.

• There were 482 fire deaths in this period - down 1 per cent on the previous 12 months. Dwelling fire deaths fell by 9 per cent to 342, the lowest total since records began. However, all fire death figures for 2006 should be treated with caution as they are still provisional and subject to change.

• Primary fires fell by 5 per cent to 162,000. This is the lowest total since 1985. Within this dwelling fires hit a 25 year low (56,400, down 2 per cent), fires in other buildings - including workplaces and areas where people gather - are at their lowest since 1963 (down 7 per cent to 33,200) and road vehicle fires again fell (by 9 per cent to 60,600) to their lowest total since 1990.

• Secondary fires rose by 6 per cent to 267,100 as there was a large increase in grassland fires (37 per cent). These fires are closely linked to temperature, with July 2006 being the hottest July on record.

• Attendances at false alarms dropped by 1 per cent to 436,500. Within this there was a 15 per cent fall in malicious false alarms and a slight decrease in false alarms due to apparatus.