Arson guidance

Arson accounted for over 48% of all fires attended in 2021 by Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service. It can cause loss of stock, loss of income and significant damage.

Most arson attacks are opportunistic crime, so ensuring your building is secure and good housekeeping are the best deterrents. Report any accumulated or abandoned refuse to your local council. Don't let it become a fuel source.

We have produced some excellent arson prevention advice checklists for, public buildings (.pdf, 3 pages, 472Kb), commercial buildings (.pdf, 2 pages, 362Kb), and places of worship (.pdf, 3 pages, 375Kb), which you may find useful.

Other top tips

• Make sure you have included arson prevention measures in your Fire Risk Assessment. Think of ways in which someone could start a fire inside or outside of your property and act on any issues you find.
• Be proactive, protect your commercial property. Seek advice on security, good lighting and CCTV will often act as a deterrent to the criminal.
• Anti-social behaviour can also be linked to arson. Report such behaviour through your local neighbourhood policing team, neighbourhood watch team or through Crimestoppers.
• Ensure you have thorough closing-down procedures in place, including making sure external doors are locked and internal doors are closed, no unauthorised persons are left on the premises and alarms are switched on.

We have produced a leaflet with our top tips for Arson reduction in businesses. (.pdf, 4 pages, 962Kb)

The National Fire Chiefs Council have Information and advice to reduce deliberate fires (.pdf, 4 pages).

See our arson prevention video below: