Official statistics from the UK fire and rescue services. Explore incident rates, response times, and casualty figures by fire authority.
Data current as of year ending March 2026
66,383
Primary Fires
7,102
Casualties
8:15
Avg Response
42%
False Alarms
Primary fires attended by fire and rescue services
| Year ending | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 61,610 | — |
| 2022 | 63,515 | ▲ 3.1% |
| 2022 | 67,477 | — |
| 2023 | 66,817 | ▼ 1.0% |
| 2023 | 62,574 | — |
| 2024 | 61,975 | ▼ 1.0% |
| 2024 | 61,085 | — |
| 2025 | 61,889 | ▲ 1.3% |
| 2025 | 66,866 | — |
| 2026 | 66,383 | ▼ 0.7% |
Deaths and non-fatal casualties from primary fires
7,102
England↑ 5.2% since 2021/09
| Year ending | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 6,751 | — |
| 2022 | 6,600 | ▼ 2.2% |
| 2022 | 6,436 | — |
| 2023 | 6,468 | ≈ no change |
| 2023 | 6,508 | — |
| 2024 | 6,599 | ▲ 1.4% |
| 2024 | 6,572 | — |
| 2025 | 6,729 | ▲ 2.4% |
| 2025 | 7,096 | — |
| 2026 | 7,102 | ≈ no change |
Proportion of all incidents that were false alarms
42%
False alarms
| Year ending | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 41.9% | — |
| 2022 | 41.2% | ▼ 1.7% |
| 2022 | 39.8% | — |
| 2023 | 40.7% | ▲ 2.3% |
| 2023 | 43.3% | — |
| 2024 | 43.9% | ▲ 1.4% |
| 2024 | 44.1% | — |
| 2025 | 43.1% | ▼ 2.3% |
| 2025 | 40.8% | — |
| 2026 | 41.5% | ▲ 1.7% |
False alarms account for 42% of all incidents attended.
Leading causes of accidental primary fires
Equipment misuse is the leading cause of accidental dwelling fires in England.
Whether fire was contained to the room of origin or spread further
Distribution of primary fire incidents across the 24-hour cycle
Dwelling fires typically peak between 6pm and 9pm, coinciding with evening cooking activity.
Whether smoke alarms raised the alarm in dwelling fires
Number of fire safety audits conducted by the authority
100,390
England↑ 43.9% since 2021/03
| Year ending | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 69,776 | — |
| 2022 | 96,034 | ▲ 37.6% |
| 2023 | 100,848 | ▲ 5.0% |
| 2024 | 99,670 | ▼ 1.2% |
| 2025 | 101,992 | ▲ 2.3% |
| 2026 | 100,390 | ▼ 1.6% |
Results of fire safety audits: satisfactory, informal action, formal action
Average time from call to first appliance arriving at dwelling fires
8:15
England↑ 6.5% since 2021/09
| Year ending | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7:45 | — |
| 2022 | 7:52 | ▲ 1.5% |
| 2022 | 7:57 | — |
| 2023 | 8:01 | ▲ 0.8% |
| 2023 | 7:59 | — |
| 2024 | 8:01 | ≈ no change |
| 2024 | 8:05 | — |
| 2025 | 8:06 | ≈ no change |
| 2025 | 8:13 | — |
| 2026 | 8:15 | ≈ no change |
Average response time in England is in line with the national average.
Proportion of incidents by response time band
Primary fires recorded as deliberate (arson)
71,520
England↑ 10.2% since 2021/09
| Year ending | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 64,874 | — |
| 2022 | 69,798 | ▲ 7.6% |
| 2022 | 85,046 | — |
| 2023 | 80,040 | ▼ 5.9% |
| 2023 | 62,740 | — |
| 2024 | 59,308 | ▼ 5.5% |
| 2024 | 55,814 | — |
| 2025 | 61,824 | ▲ 10.8% |
| 2025 | 77,050 | — |
| 2026 | 71,520 | ▼ 7.2% |
Deliberate fires account for 71520% of all primary fires — above the national average.
Primary fires attended by fire and rescue services
| Year ending | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 61,610 | — |
| 2022 | 63,515 | ▲ 3.1% |
| 2022 | 67,477 | — |
| 2023 | 66,817 | ▼ 1.0% |
| 2023 | 62,574 | — |
| 2024 | 61,975 | ▼ 1.0% |
| 2024 | 61,085 | — |
| 2025 | 61,889 | ▲ 1.3% |
| 2025 | 66,866 | — |
| 2026 | 66,383 | ▼ 0.7% |
Deaths and non-fatal casualties from primary fires
7,102
England↑ 5.2% since 2021/09
| Year ending | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 6,751 | — |
| 2022 | 6,600 | ▼ 2.2% |
| 2022 | 6,436 | — |
| 2023 | 6,468 | ≈ no change |
| 2023 | 6,508 | — |
| 2024 | 6,599 | ▲ 1.4% |
| 2024 | 6,572 | — |
| 2025 | 6,729 | ▲ 2.4% |
| 2025 | 7,096 | — |
| 2026 | 7,102 | ≈ no change |
Proportion of all incidents that were false alarms
42%
False alarms
| Year ending | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 41.9% | — |
| 2022 | 41.2% | ▼ 1.7% |
| 2022 | 39.8% | — |
| 2023 | 40.7% | ▲ 2.3% |
| 2023 | 43.3% | — |
| 2024 | 43.9% | ▲ 1.4% |
| 2024 | 44.1% | — |
| 2025 | 43.1% | ▼ 2.3% |
| 2025 | 40.8% | — |
| 2026 | 41.5% | ▲ 1.7% |
False alarms account for 42% of all incidents attended.
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