Compare fire statistics

Year ending 2026/03

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service
vs
Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service
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Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service attended 2,031 primary fires in its latest reporting year, compared with 2,005 at Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service. Fatalities and non-fatal casualties from primary fires totalled 313 for Devon and Somerset and 140 for Dorset and Wiltshire.

Average time from call to first appliance at a dwelling fire is 9:33 in Devon and Somerset and 9:26 in Dorset and Wiltshire. Response times are broadly comparable. On enforcement activity, Dorset and Wiltshire carried out the larger number of fire safety audits over the year (1,546 vs 1,448). Satisfactory-outcome rates were 27% for Devon and Somerset and 33% for Dorset and Wiltshire, covering audits that closed without requiring informal action, formal notice, or prohibition. False alarms make up a notably larger share of call-outs in Dorset and Wiltshire (47% vs 40%).

Total Fires

Primary fires attended by fire and rescue services

2,031

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service

2,005

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

Fatalities & Casualties

Deaths and non-fatal casualties from primary fires

313

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service

140

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

False Alarm Rate

Proportion of all incidents that were false alarms

40%

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service

47%

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

Fire Safety Audits

Number of fire safety audits conducted by the authority

1,448

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service

1,546

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

Audit Outcomes

Results of fire safety audits: satisfactory, informal action, formal action

1,476

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service total

1,572

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service total

Average Response Time

Average time from call to first appliance arriving at dwelling fires

9:33

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service

9:26

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

Response Time Distribution

Proportion of incidents by response time band

100%

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service total

100%

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service total

Deliberate Fires

Primary fires recorded as deliberate (arson)

1,302

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service

881

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

About this data

Source: MHCLG Fire Statistics. Crown Copyright. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Figures compared here are drawn from the same MHCLG fire statistics release. Metrics reported on a "year ending" basis may use different reference months (September for incidents and response times, March for audits and outcomes). Headline figures on this page are for the year ending 2026/03.

View source data on GOV.UK