Deliberate fire numbers rise across Tyne and Wear
Fire brigade chiefs stressed various work is taking place to tackle deliberate fires across the Tyne and Wear region after a rise in incidents.
A Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service report outlined how from April 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024 they recorded 3,901 deliberate fires, up 6% from the 3,687 during the same period the previous year.
However it is a 40% decrease compared to the 5,452 deliberate incidents registered in the period in 2022/2023, according to figures which went to the latest meeting of the fire authority’s policy and performance committee.
Sunderland was the region with the highest number of deliberate fires during the nine months in 2024 with 1,066 incidents, a decrease of around 15% compared to the 1,260 previous year.
Newcastle saw the second highest level with 1,062 recorded, up nearly 25% from 854 in 2023/24, followed by South Tyneside, with 735, which has increased by around 30% from 562.
Gateshead saw a small decrease in the number of incidents, with 580 recorded compared to 597 the previous year, while North Tyneside saw an increase from 414 incidents during the period in 2023/24 to 458 in 2024/25.
Reports from fire services bosses noted deliberate fires are an “ongoing concern” and it is an issue which has therefore “been a focus of prevention and education work” with partner agencies.
For example, in Sunderland there has been localised targeting of hotspot areas within the Hendon area and joint walkabouts have been carried out with Sunderland City Council and Northumbria Police.
This has resulted in a number of empty properties being identified with fly-tipping in the rear yards which has now been removed, while there has been a “multi-agency approach” to targeting streets within the Thorney Close area.
The King George playing fields have also been identified as a “hotspot” for anti-social behaviour (ASB) and the area has now had CCTV installed, which has led to a “decrease in the number of secondary fires.”
Elsewhere fire authority reports noted in South Tyneside, the Primrose, Beacon and Bents, and Biddick and All Saints wards have been identified as hotspot areas by the fire service.
This is attributed to youth ASB that is being addressed by working with partners to identify trends and times of day to deploy additional resources such as community wardens and extra police patrols.
These areas are also prioritised by operational crews for ASB reduction activities, while elsewhere in the borough funding has been secured to help make the Temple Park area safer.
Fire service reports added within the Newcastle district Walker Park has been identified as a hotspot, with CCTV installed in November and several youths have been identified and “engaged with” by police and Newcastle City Council.
Elsewhere within the west area of the district there has been ASB in the Throckley and Lemington areas, which has led to educational visits to schools taking place and incidents decreasing, with the same happening in Denton.
In total across Tyne and Wear 83% of deliberate blazes over the period were classed as secondary fires, which are small outdoor fires not involving property, while 17% were primary fires, which are larger incidents which cause damage to a person or property.
The most common type of deliberate fire across Tyne and Wear was miscellaneous outdoor incidents, which accounted for 1,233 of the recorded blazes, followed by outdoor structures with 1,228.
Meanwhile there were 803 deliberate fires involving grass, woodland and crops, and 267 involving cars.
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