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Fire Statistics Scotland
29/04/2008
Scotland's Chief Statistician today published Fire Statistics Scotland, 2006. The publication includes key statistics on the number and location of fires in Scotland, along with details of fire casualties.
The main findings are:
- In 2006, the total number of fires in Scotland was 50,520, eight per cent higher than in 2005 (46,971). Of these fires, 14,930 (30 per cent) were primary fires, 33,907 (67 per cent) were secondary fires and 1,683 (3 per cent) were chimney fires
- The number of primary fires, which are the most serious, fell for the seventh consecutive year and was the lowest in the 10 year period covered by the bulletin. The increase in total fires was driven by an increase in the number of secondary and chimney fires
- The numbers of fatal and non-fatal casualties in 2006 were also both the lowest recorded in the 10 year period covered by the bulletin. There were 52 fatal casualties in fires in Scotland in 2006, a 20 per cent decrease from the 65 fatal casualties in 2005. The number of non-fatal casualties in 2006 was 1,635, down 2 per cent from 2005
- In comparison to the other UK countries, Scotland continues to have a relatively high rate of casualties per million population from fire. In 2006, Scotland had the second highest rate of fatalities and the highest rate of non-fatal casualties per million population out of all the UK countries
- In 2006, total false fire alarms in Scotland constituted 54,263 incidents, representing 52 per cent of total call outs to fires and false fire alarms
Her Majesty's Chief Inspectorate of Fire Services published their annual report in November 2007, including some data on fires and fatalities for the period 2006-07. Although Fire Statistics Scotland 2006 covers an earlier time period (calendar year 2006), it contains more comprehensive data on fires, as well as comparisons to other UK countries.
The bulletin reports on a number of different types of fires, which are defined as follows:
- Primary fires: If a fire involves a casualty or rescue, or is attended by five or more appliances then it is classed as a primary fire, regardless of its actual physical location. A fire may also be classed as primary if it occurs in any of the following - buildings (not derelict, not under demolition); caravans; vehicles and other methods or transport (not derelict); outdoor storage, plant and machinery or agricultural and forestry premises and property
- Secondary fires: These involve no casualties or rescues and are attended by four or fewer appliances. A fire is also not classed as secondary if it is a chimney fire (defined below)
- Chimney fires: These always involve no casualties or rescues, and are attended by four or fewer fire engines. They only occur in occupied buildings where the fire was contained within the chimney structure
Official statistics are produced by professionally independent statistical staff.