Fire statistics: Incident level datasets
Source: data.gov.uk (2017-09-28)

This information covers fires, false alarms and other incidents attended by firecrews, and the statistics include the numbers of incidents, fires, fatalities and casualties as well as information on response times to fires. The Home Office also collect information on the workforce, fire prevention work, health and safety and firefighter pensions. All data tables on fire statistics are below.

The Home Office has responsibility for fire services in England. The vast majority of data tables produced by the Home Office are for England but some (0101, 0103, 0201, 0501, 1401) tables are for Great Britain split by nation. In the past the Department for Communities and Local Government (who previously had responsibility for fire services in England) produced data tables for Great Britain and at times the UK. Similar information for devolved administrations are available at Scotland: Fire and Rescue Statistics, Wales: Community safety and Northern Ireland: Fire and Rescue Statistics (see Landing page for links).

Publishing Incident Recording 
System data on the fire and rescue 
service at an Incident Level:  
 
Dwelling Fires Dataset Guidance 
 
 
 
 
 
Produced by the Fire Statistics team 
xxx@xxx.xx 
27 April 2017 
Updated: 9 November 2017 
 

 
2 
 
1  Background 
Data Quality 
Incident records in the Incident Recording System (IRS) are the responsibility of and 
quality assured by Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs). The Home Office and FRSs 
are working on improving the data within the IRS and possible inconsistencies, 
having said that the IRS was not designed with record level datasets in mind and so 
we are aware of some possible inconsistencies and there may well be other issues. 
IRS incident records are a judgement call of the lead fire officer at the time of the 
incident. The quality of the information provided by fire and rescue services is 
variable and its accuracy cannot be guaranteed, especially at a record level, for 
instance some records involve estimation by those in attendance. 
 
Dataset rationale 
When surveyed, interested parties said that the most important topic to them was 
knowing the “type of building a fire occurred in” through the release of open data. 
Most commented that dwelling fires were a priority. We have reflected this by 
publishing this dataset in ‘Tranche One’ and updating it in ‘Tranche Three’. The 
Home Office has, and will continue to, engage with stakeholders, such as statistical 
users and FRSs, to gauge opinion on the most useful datasets to publish. 
 
Dataset definition 
The dwelling fires dataset covers incidents attended by FRSs that were primary 
dwelling fires in England. The Home Office only has jurisdiction for fire policy in 
England and therefore has published incident data for England only. 
A dwelling is defined as “a property that is a place of residence i.e. occupied by 
households”. The definition includes residential homes, sheltered accommodation, 
caravans, houseboats and Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMO) but it does not 
include hostels, hotels and residential institutions, bed and breakfast establishments, 
nursing/care homes and student halls of residence. Fires in common areas of flats 
(such as stairs) are included. 
Fires in derelict dwellings are only included if they are considered a primary fire (i.e. 
the fire involved a fatality, casualty or rescue or the fire was attended by five or more 
pumping appliances).    
Derelict dwellings are defined as those unfit for further use; awaiting demolition or 
under demolition. These records, when aggregated, also match the published 
statistics as derelict dwellings are not included the dwellings statistics. 
The data in this dataset are consistent with records that reached the IRS by 11th 
September 2017. 
 

 
3 
 
2 Variable by variable – Scene Setting 
Variable Name: 
FRS_FULLNAME 
Variable Description: 
The FRS in which the dwelling fire took place 
IRS Question: 
1.6 
 
The Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) refers to the territory in which the incident took 
place, not necessarily the FRS which responded. Occasionally an FRS will respond 
to an incident “over the border”, because of this users should be careful about 
making general comments about particular FRSs as some incidents may have been 
responded to by other FRSs. This dataset only covers incidents that took place in 
England. 
Due to data protection issues we have merged Isles of Scilly data with Cornwall, as 
the number of dwelling fires in Isle of Scilly is minimal [there were seven between 
2010/11 and 2016/17]. Figures for Dorset and Wiltshire, who merged into one FRS 
on 1st April 2016, are presented merged. 
 
Variable Name: 
E_CODE 
Variable Description: 
The E Code of the FRS 
IRS Question: 
1.6 (based on) 
 
The standard National Statistics code (E Code) of the Fire and Rescue Service 
(FRS) in FRS_NAME. In this case the code for Cornwall has been used for the 
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly combined FRS. 
 
Variable Name: 
FINANCIAL_YEAR 
Variable Description: 
The financial year the dwelling fire took place 
IRS Question: 
2.1 (based on) 
 
A financial year runs from 1 April to 31 March. Record level information is published 
from 2010/11 - although the IRS began in April 2009 there are a few minor issues 
with the 2009/10 records which mean that while statistics at higher levels are robust 
some of the incident level records are not of a sufficient quality to publish. Incidents 
are allocated to financial year depending on the time of the call, which is usually 
collected through automatic systems, so for example an incident where the call was 
made at 23.59 on March 31st 2010 but the incident was closed at 01.34 on April 1st 
2010 would be allocated to 2009/10 not 2010/11. 
 
Variable Name: 
WEEKDAY_WEEKEND 
Variable Description: 
Whether the dwelling fire took place on a weekday or a 
IRS Question: 
2.1 (based on) 
 
The weekend is defined as starting at 6pm on Friday evening and running until 6am 
on Monday morning. Incidents are allocated to this variable depending on the time of 
the call, which is usually collected through automatic systems. 
 
 

 
4 
 
3 
Variable by variable - Situation  
Variable Name: 
DWELLING_TYPE_NEW 
Variable Description: 
The type of dwelling the fire was in 
IRS Question: 
3.2 
 
The dwelling fires dataset only covers primary fires, this excludes derelict dwellings 
unless five or more pumping appliances attended the incident or it resulted in a 
fatality, casualty or rescue. The definitions used for this variable are those used in 
the Census 2011 and are consistent with FIRE0205. 
The previous version had five possible answers to this variable (“Bungalow - Single 
occupancy”, “Dwellings - Multiple occupancy”, “Dwellings - Other / unspecified”, 
“Flats - Single occupancy” and “House - single occupancy”. 
The updated version has eight possible answers to this variable (“Bungalow - single 
occupancy”, “Converted Flat/Maisonette - single occupancy”, “Dwelling - Multiple 
occupancy”, “House - single occupancy”, “Other dwelling”, “Purpose Built High Rise 
(10+) Flat”, “Purpose Built Medium Rise (4-9) Flat” and “Purpose Built Low Rise (1-3) 
Flats/Maisonette”. 
 
Variable Name: 
OCCUPANCY_TYPE 
Variable Description: 
The household description of those occupying the dwelling 
IRS Question: 
8.15 
 
This may be a judgement call of the FRS staff present at the time and/or those 
completing the Incident Recording System for the incident concerned. 
 
Variable Name: 
ALARM_SYSTEM 
Variable Description: 
Whether a smoke alarm was present and if it operated. 
IRS Question: 
Combination of 5.8 and 5.11 
 
In a case where more than one alarm system was present the “best” case is chosen. 
 
Variable Name: 
IGNITION_TO_DISCOVERY 
Variable Description: 
The time between ignition and discovery 
IRS Question: 
5.2 
 
This is the approximate time elapsed from the ignition of the fire to its discovery, and 
may well be estimated. 
When the dwelling fire spreads from a secondary fire, the time is based on the 
estimated start of first damage to the dwelling. For example, if a rubbish bin fire 
(secondary) spreads to a house (primary) the time recorded is the estimated time 
from ignition of the house to discovery NOT ignition of the bin to discovery. 
 

 
5 
 
Variable Name: 
DISCOVERY_TO_CALL 
Variable Description: 
The time between discovery and call. 
IRS Question: 
5.3  
 
This is the approximate time elapsed from the discovery of the fire to when the call 
was made to the emergency services, and may well be estimated (FRSs are asked 
to provide an estimate if at all possible). 
 
Variable Name: 
LATE_CALL 
Variable Description: 
Whether the incident was a late call 
IRS Question: 
2.4 
 
A late call is where a fire is known to be extinguished when the call was made.  
It should be stressed that a fire that is ‘out on arrival’ (for example, extinguished 
before the FRS arrived) does not constitute a ‘late fire call’. A fire which comes to the 
attention of the FRS to which no call was made, for example as a result of a press 
report or inquest, is reported as a late call if an attendance is made (even if one 
person attends for inspection only) but is not included if no attendance is made. 
 
 
 
 

 
6 
 
4 
Variable by variable – The Fire 
 
A deliberate fire is a fire believed to have been started deliberately such as 
suspected arson and some fires started by children, psychiatric patients, suicides 
and attempted suicides. Accidental fires includes those where the motive was 
recorded as “not known”. Whilst we would not expect the fires for “deliberate fires” to 
match precisely the published figures for arson in the Bulletin tables from the Crime 
in England and Wales statistical release, we would expect “deliberate fires for 
dwellings, other dwellings and vehicles to be similar to the arson figures. 
 
This variable contains options that best describe the main cause of the fire. FRSs are 
not necessarily certain that the fire was due to the cause given, only that the cause 
was one that could be reasonably supposed, given the evidence available. The 
cause may change as more evidence through a fire investigation becomes available. 
 
 
This variable contains options that best describe the main source of the ignition’s 
power. It is not necessary to be certain that the fire was due to the power given, only 
that the power was one that could be reasonably supposed, given the evidence 
available. The cause may change as more evidence through a fire investigation 
becomes available. 
 
 
This variable contains options that best describe the room or compartment where the 
fire started. 
 
 
 
Variable Name: 
ACCIDENTAL_OR_DELIBERATE 
Variable Description: 
Whether the incident was recorded as an accidental or 
deliberate fire 
IRS Question: 
5.15 
Variable Name: 
CAUSE_OF_FIRE 
Variable Description: 
The main cause of the fire 
IRS Question: 
8.1 
Variable Name: 
IGNITION_POWER 
Variable Description: 
What powered the ignition of the fire 
IRS Question: 
8.5 
Variable Name: 
FIRE_START_LOCATION 
Variable Description: 
The type of room/compartment the fire started in 
IRS Question: 
8.14 

 
7 
 
 
This variable contains options that best describe of the extent of the fire when the 
first fire crew arrived. 
 
 
Whether an adjacent property was affected, when the first fire crew arrived, by either 
flame and heat, flame and smoke or flame, heat and smoke damage. 
 
Variable Name: 
ITEM_IGNITED 
Variable Description: 
The item/material that was ignited first 
IRS Question: 
8.6 
 
This variable contains options that best (or most likely) describe the item first ignited. 
The item cannot be the same as the source of ignition and doesn’t include items that 
were ignited in the normal course of events (for example a cigarette, a match etc.) 
 
If the fire was a spread from a secondary fire, the primary location that was damaged 
first should be recorded, for example if the source of ignition was a bonfire burning 
leaves which spread to the wooden wall of a garden shed, then the item first ignited 
was the shed, not the waste leaves on the bonfire. 
 
Variable Name: 
ITEM_CAUSING_SPREAD 
Variable Description: 
The item/material that was mainly responsible for the 
spread of the fire 
IRS Question: 
8.7 
 
This variable contains options that best (or most likely) describe the item mainly 
responsible for causing the spread of the fire. 
 
Variable Name: 
RAPID_FIRE_GROWTH 
Variable Description: 
Whether there was rapid fire growth 
IRS Question: 
8.8 
 
Whether there was rapid fire growth or not. 
 
 
 
Variable Name: 
FIRE_SIZE_ON_ARRIVAL 
Variable Description: 
The extent of fire on the FRS’s arrival 
IRS Question: 
8.20 
Variable Name: 
OTHER_PROPERTY_AFFECTED_ON_ARRIVAL 
Variable Description: 
Whether an adjacent property was affected by the fire on 
the FRS’s arrival  
IRS Question: 
8.21 

 
8 
 
5 
Variable by Variable - Resourcing 
Variable Name: 
VEHICLES 
Variable Description: 
The number of fire service vehicles that attended the 
incident 
IRS Question: 
6.2 
 
The total number of FRS vehicles that attended the incident. This includes all types 
of vehicle, for example hazardous materials units, fire boats and canteen vans would 
be included in this total. Large numbers are grouped for ease of use and to reduce 
the personal data risk of incidents being matched across datasets.  For example 
there is likely to be few incidents attended by 147 officers and this could be matched 
to other datasets containing this variable but grouping these in the “40 or more” 
grouping makes this impossible. 
 
Variable Name: 
VEHICLES_CODE 
Variable Description: 
A code to help users analyse data 
IRS Question: 
6.2 
 
Because some of the options in the vehicles variable contains letters (e.g. 15 or 
more) this code has been added after feedback from users to aid analysis. 
 
The number of FRS personnel that attended the incident on fire service appliances 
or by other means (e.g. their own vehicle, on foot). Large numbers of personnel are 
grouped for ease of use and to reduce the personal data risk of incidents being 
matched across datasets. 
 
Variable Name: 
PERSONNEL _CODE 
Variable Description: 
A code to help users analyse data 
IRS Question: 
Combination of 6.1 and 6.4 
 
Because some of the options in the personnel variable contains letters (e.g. 40 or 
more) this code has been added after feedback from users to aid analysis. 
 
Variable Name: 
RESPONSE_TIME 
Variable Description: 
The time between the call being made and the first fire 
vehicle attending the scene 
IRS Question: 
Combination of 2.1 and 6.8 
 
The time of the call is defined as when first call was received to Command & Control. 
If the call was received by one FRS and relayed to another, then the time of the call 
Variable Name: 
PERSONNEL 
Variable Description: 
The number of fire crew and officers that attended the 
incident 
IRS Question: 
Combination of 6.1 and 6.4 

 
9 
 
to the first FRS is used. Both of these variables are usually collected through 
automatic systems. 
Variable Name: 
RESPONSE_TIME_CODE 
Variable Description: 
A code to help users analyse data 
IRS Question: 
Combination of 2.1 and 6.8 
 
Because all of the options in the response time variable contains letters (e.g. 1-2 
mins) this code has been added after feedback from users to aid analysis. 
 
Variable Name: 
TIME_AT_SCENE 
Variable Description: 
The time between the first fire vehicle attending the scene 
and the incident being closed. 
IRS Question: 
Combination of 6.8 and 2.6 
 
An incident is closed when the last FRS appliance, vehicle or officer left the scene of 
the incident. Both of these variables are usually collected through automatic 
systems. 
 
Variable Name: 
TIME_AT_SCENE _CODE 
Variable Description: 
A code to help users analyse data 
IRS Question: 
Combination of 6.8 and 2.6 
 
Because all of the options in the time at scene variable contains letters (e.g. 0-15 
mins) this code has been added after feedback from users to aid analysis. 
 
 
 
 

 
10 
 
6 
Variable by Variable - Outcomes 
Variable Name: 
FATALITY_CASUALTY 
Variable Description: 
Whether the incident involved a fatality or casualty 
IRS Question: 
Combination of 9.6 and 9.21 
 
This records whether the incident involved at least one fire-related fatality or one 
casualty from the fire. At this early stage of publishing these incident level 
information no more detailed information on casualties and fatalities is given. 
 
To be consistent with published statistics the variable combines “fire related fatality” 
and “casualty in the fire” (whether fire-related or not). Where “don’t know” is recorded 
for whether a fatality is fire-related it is included in the fire-related totals. In general, 
‘fire-related fatalities’ are those that would not have occurred had there not been a 
fire. Casualties include those with injuries requiring hospital attention, those requiring 
first aid at the scene and those given advice to have precautionary checks (whether 
they then take that advice or not). 
 
Variable Name: 
RESCUES 
Variable Description: 
The number of people rescued from the dwelling 
IRS Question: 
9.13 
 
A rescue is where person has received physical assistance to get clear of the area 
involved in the incident. A baby carried out in the course of another person’s escape 
is not included as a rescue, however if a rescuer (including FRS personnel) entered 
the building or other area affected by the fire in order to rescue the baby, then the 
baby is recorded as a rescue.  
A removal of a fatality is not recorded as a rescue, except where a rescue took place 
in circumstances which might have resulted in a life being saved even if the person 
did not survive the rescue attempt.  
Where “don’t know” is recorded for whether a rescue occurred, it is not included in 
this variable. 
 
Variable Name: 
EVACUATIONS 
Variable Description: 
The number of people evacuated from the dwelling 
IRS Question: 
9.3 
 
An evacuation is the direction of people from a dangerous place to somewhere safe. 
This variable is the number of people who were evacuated from the incident, 
unharmed but with assistance from FRS personnel. Those who are rescued or 
rescued with an injury are not included in those that are evacuated from the incident. 
Rescues involve physical assistance. 
 

 
11 
 
Variable Name: 
EVACUATIONS _CODE 
Variable Description: 
A code to help users analyse data 
IRS Question: 
9.3 
 
Because all of the options in the time at scene variable contains letters (e.g. Up to 5) 
this code has been added after feedback from users to aid analysis. 
 
The total horizontal area damaged by the flame and/or heat (in square metres) at the 
stop of the fire. 
Where an incident was due to fire spread, the extent of all the area affected is 
included. Where both the floor and ceiling are damaged in a room only that which 
had the greater amount of damage is included. The total aggregate of all horizontal 
damage is recorded, e.g. if three floors are damaged, the total area is given. Vertical 
surfaces (e.g. walls) that were damaged in the fire are not included, but the 
horizontal area occupied by damaged contents are included.  
Where the horizontal area damaged was zero, this includes where damage was 
confined to vertical surfaces.  A very small area would be included in ‘up to 5 metres 
squared’. 
Variable Name: 
FIRE_DAMAGE_EXTENT _CODE 
Variable Description: 
A code to help users analyse data 
IRS Question: 
8.24 
 
Because all of the options in the time at scene variable contains letters (e.g. Up to 5) 
this code has been added after feedback from users to aid analysis. 
 
 
The total horizontal area damaged by the flame, heat, smoke and/or water (in square 
metres) at the stop of the fire. 
Where an incident was due to fire spread, the extent of all the area affected is 
included. Where both the floor and ceiling are damaged in a room only that which 
had the greater amount of damage is included. The total aggregate of all horizontal 
damage is recorded, e.g. if three floors damaged, the total area is given. Vertical 
surfaces (e.g. walls) that were damaged in the fire are not included, but the 
horizontal area occupied by damaged contents are included.  
Variable Name: 
FIRE_DAMAGE_EXTENT 
Variable Description: 
The total horizontal area damaged by the flame and heat 
(sq. m) at the stop of the fire. 
IRS Question: 
8.24 
Variable Name: 
TOTAL_DAMAGE_EXTENT 
Variable Description: 
The total horizontal area damaged by the flame, heat, 
smoke and water (sq. m) 
IRS Question: 
8.25 

 
12 
 
Where the horizontal area damaged was zero, this includes where damage was 
confined to vertical surfaces.  A very small area would be included in ‘up to 5 metres 
squared’. 
Variable Name: 
TOTAL_DAMAGE_EXTENT _CODE 
Variable Description: 
A code to help users analyse data 
IRS Question: 
8.25 
 
Because all of the options in the time at scene variable contains letters (e.g. Up to 5) 
this code has been added after feedback from users to aid analysis. 
 
 
This variable contains options that best describe of the extent of the fire and heat 
damage once the incident was closed. 
 
 
Whether an adjacent property was affected, when the incident was declared closed, 
by either flame and heat, flame and smoke or flame, heat and smoke damage. 
 
 
 
 
Variable Name: 
SPREAD_OF_FIRE 
Variable Description: 
The extent of fire when the incident was closed 
IRS Question: 
8.22 
Variable Name: 
OTHER_PROPERTY_AFFECTED_CLOSE 
Variable Description: 
Whether an adjacent property was affected by the fire by 
the close of the incident 
IRS Question: 
8.23 

 
13 
 
7 
Summary Statistics 
The number of dwelling fires in England decreased by 17 per cent between 2010/11 
and 2016/17. The table below shows the number of dwelling fires by FRS over the 
time covered by this release. 
 
 
FRS_NAME
E_CODE
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
2014/15
2015/16
2016/17
England
E92000001
36,595 35,401 33,279 31,899 31,332 31,377 30,322
Avon
E31000001
667
622
531
489
535
539
522
Bedfordshire
E31000002
433
458
419
413
473
385
416
Berkshire
E31000003
433
439
401
397
409
394
391
Buckinghamshire
E31000004
422
457
462
439
427
423
352
Cambridgeshire
E31000005
333
323
282
283
313
278
293
Cheshire
E31000006
540
527
481
445
448
437
458
Cleveland
E31000007
283
275
204
205
222
185
197
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly E31000008
309
328
318
310
282
293
273
Cumbria
E31000009
289
285
321
286
304
279
273
Derbyshire
E31000010
586
545
520
496
506
499
450
Devon and Somerset
E31000011
1,189
1,075
1,051
1,058
980
968
1,005
Dorset and Wiltshire
E31000047
877
833
866
803
752
788
820
Durham
E31000013
330
351
314
326
298
288
268
East Sussex
E31000014
574
609
610
577
578
601
589
Essex
E31000015
1,022
1,012
947
892
899
946
934
Gloucestershire
E31000016
333
336
329
316
317
340
312
Greater Manchester
E31000040
2,777
2,718
2,454
2,231
2,261
2,428
2,287
Hampshire
E31000017
1,021
992
957
894
871
873
831
Hereford and Worcester
E31000018
425
452
412
392
372
378
370
Hertfordshire
E31000019
588
572
570
591
530
515
608
Humberside
E31000020
698
639
584
567
521
508
495
Isle Of Wight
E31000021
99
81
84
59
73
61
70
Kent
E31000022
799
808
657
667
674
637
625
Lancashire
E31000023
1,364
1,300
1,151
1,092
1,041
1,049
965
Leicestershire
E31000024
547
495
465
418
422
447
454
Lincolnshire
E31000025
429
403
331
362
329
415
385
London
E31000046
6,711
6,656
6,416
5,963
5,851
5,705
5,509
Merseyside
E31000041
1,511
1,561
1,420
1,395
1,263
1,311
1,206
Norfolk
E31000026
487
529
483
457
484
484
424
North Yorkshire
E31000027
441
406
397
368
393
387
337
Northamptonshire
E31000028
437
370
392
435
418
385
386
Northumberland
E31000029
208
186
172
197
175
166
177
Nottinghamshire
E31000030
809
712
704
691
624
578
598
Oxfordshire
E31000031
375
346
345
330
283
349
277
Shropshire
E31000032
289
301
276
241
248
263
247
South Yorkshire
E31000042
849
756
742
754
732
736
693
Staffordshire
E31000033
739
698
646
630
589
685
643
Suffolk
E31000034
419
354
297
302
324
329
297
Surrey
E31000035
573
585
596
561
582
597
587
Tyne and Wear
E31000043
800
706
711
677
683
666
655
Warwickshire
E31000036
230
188
176
169
177
164
161
West Midlands
E31000044
2,293
2,135
1,939
2,014
1,935
1,903
1,797
West Sussex
E31000037
535
485
530
465
480
487
501
West Yorkshire
E31000045
1,522
1,492
1,316
1,242
1,254
1,228
1,184

14 
 
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