There are a lot a fires being reported in my area, is this more than usual, or in the news because there are cuts to the fire services?

[NoahVale]

should we be worried?
are there, or do there seem to be more fires in your area?

[BarbarianMum]

Yes lots more grass and heath fires. Because it has been dry and (recently) hot. Not noticed any increase in reporting though, just incidents.

[cozietoesie]

What sort of fires are they? Domestic properties or eg schools and skips?

[NoahVale]

buildings
and the heath fire which was less well reported.

[DirtyBlonde]

It'll be normal level, and it's also normal that the frequency is random clumps not even spacing.

But perhaps more reported if the local paper (or whoever) is also campaigning to overturn the cuts.

[NoahVale]

yes, i wondered about that, more reporting,

[EustaciaBenson]

Are the buildings listed? Round here listed buildings get burnt down when the owners cant get planning permission

[NoahVale]

a car fire
spontaneous combustion
house fires

[ChantenayCarrot]

OP are you in Kent? I know that there have been a number of fires in and a round a specific couple of towns.

[NoahVale]

near kent and we get to hear the kent news
there are a lot of fires lately arent there?

[LoxleyBarrett]

DH says there are peaks and troughs. Less community fire safety which may lead to an general increase in house fires. DH says that people seem to be keeping household appliances longer and not serving them which is leading to a few more house fires.

In general he says things have plateaued. More smoke alarms, less chip pans etc

Last night he went to - man stuck in bed, garden rubbish fire and house fire (several people rescued including 6 month old).

[heronsfly]

I'm in Kent, the local paper does seem to be on a fire hunting mission at the moment.

[ArgyMargy]

No. Fires are very rare nowadays. I suspect someone is on a political mission.

[LoxleyBarrett]

Local papers phone the station most mornings looking for news - maybe they haven't got much else to report!

[NoahVale]

that is interesting Loxley

[PHANTOMnamechanger]

I think it depends on the severity or cause of the fire, and whether there is anything else more newsworthy.

so a small chip pan fire with no casulaties would go unreported if there was a motorway pile up or a murder

but the spate of fires in Maidstone this week, all of which are believed to be the same arsonist, is obviously major news. very shocking.
we had a spate of deliberte hay barn fires last year, and a lovely old building that was being used as a cannabis farm too.

I think people are a bit blase about safety sometimes too - things like teens leaving hot straighteners on their bed or laptops/phones charging up on the bed. we didn't have these things years ago, but there were more chip oan and cigarette related fires.

[NoahVale]

oh, I didnt realise it was the same arsonist in Maidstone, let alone that it was an arsonist either