The study by Safety Group UK ranks the average number of daily deliberate fire incidents across UK regions, revealing West Yorkshire ranks 2nd nationally and South Yorkshire 4th for fire emergencies.
Key Findings
- West Yorkshire ranks #2 nationally with 37.52 deliberate fires per day, behind only Greater Manchester (39.36)
- South Yorkshire ranks #4 nationally with 30.79 deliberate fires per day
- Since 2010, West Yorkshire has recorded 230 fatalities and 2,470 casualties from arson incidents
- Since 2010, South Yorkshire has recorded 116 fatalities and 719 casualties from deliberate fires
- Both regions saw fatalities increase in the post-pandemic period, bucking the national trend of declining fire deaths
Concerning Post-Pandemic Trends
While many UK regions have seen consistent declines in both fire incidents and fatalities, Yorkshire presents a concerning exception. In West Yorkshire, fatalities rose from 76 (2015-2019) to 86 (2020-2025), while South Yorkshire saw an increase from 32 to 40 fatalities over the same periods.
Between 2022 and early 2025, West Yorkshire recorded 42 fatalities from deliberate fires – the second highest count nationally after Greater London (60). During the same period, South Yorkshire recorded 12 fatalities.
A Tale of Two Counties
The data reveals distinct patterns between the two regions:
West Yorkshire:
- The deadliest recent year was 2021/22, with 28 fatalities
- Recorded a high of 6,593 fires in 2022/23
- Averages a fire incident every 38 minutes
South Yorkshire:
- Experienced zero fatalities in 2023/24, showing potential effectiveness of recent safety efforts
- The highest fatality year was 2020/21, with 20 deaths
- Averages a fire incident every 47 minutes
Diverse Fire Types
Safety Group UK's analysis shows both regions face significant challenges across multiple fire categories:
West Yorkshire:
- 72,718 secondary fires (including grass, bin, and outdoor blazes)
- 11,029 road vehicle fires
- 3,783 fires in other buildings
- 2,817 dwelling fires
South Yorkshire:
- 50,203 secondary fires
- 8,697 road vehicle fires
- 2,328 fires in other buildings
- 1,814 house fires
Recent Annual Fire Volumes
West Yorkshire:
- 2022/23: 6,593 fires
- 2023/24: 5,087 fires
- 2024/25*: 6,050 fires
- Average: ~5,910 per year
South Yorkshire:
- 2022/23: 5,718 fires
- 2023/24: 4,062 fires
- 2024/25*: 4,379 fires
- Average: ~4,720 per year
Seasonal Variation
Both regions show significant seasonal fluctuations in fire incidents, with opposing patterns in recent years:
In 2021/22, both counties saw substantial decreases in fire activity from the first half to the second half of the year:
- West Yorkshire: -24.6% (3,290 to 2,480 fires)
- South Yorkshire: -28.5% (2,814 to 2,011 fires)
However, in 2022/23, both regions reversed this pattern with significant increases:
- West Yorkshire: +23.7% (2,776 to 3,435 fires)
- South Yorkshire: +17.6% (2,488 to 2,926 fires)
National Context
While ranking 2nd and 4th nationally for deliberate fire volume with 37.52 arson incidents per day for West Yorkshire and 30.79 for South Yorkshire, Yorkshire has seen an increase in deliberate fires since Covid.