Location of Arson Offences: Rural Areas

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Arson in rural areas

Farms are particularly vulnerable to arson due to their isolated location, open boundaries and easy availability of readily ignitable material. Every year in the UK, about 1,700 farm buildings and 66,000 acres of grassland are destroyed by fire. About half the fires are started deliberately, either as vandalism or for insurance fraud. A serious fire can affect the stability of even the most well run business. Forty percent (40%) of businesses that suffer arson attacks never trade successfully again.

The Arson Prevention Bureau has issued guidance specifically aimed at reducing the risks of deliberate fires on farms and in the countryside.

Click here for a summary of action that can be taken to reduce the risks of arson on farms and in the countryside