Firefighters warning to children in Bishop Auckland about arson

The message comes from County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service (CDDFRS) ahead of the school summer holidays, a time when there is often a rise in arson incidents.

Wayne Thompson, station manager at Bishop Auckland, said: “We want to highlight the dangers of deliberate fire setting and the serious consequences that burn on long after the flames have gone out.

“During the school holidays and when the weather is nice, we typically see a spike in the number of deliberate incidents we attend.

“Kids might think that setting fire to a bin or bit of grass is just a bit of fun.

“But we want to stress that not only are they putting themselves and others at risk of injury, but they could also be preventing crews from being available to attend critical incidents like house fires, road traffic collisions, water-related incidents.”

Mr Thompson said 92 per cent of the fires attended by his station in April, May and June last year were deliberate, totalling 126 incidents across West Auckland, Bishop Auckland Town, and Dene Valley.

There were 371 deliberate fires recorded in Bishop Auckland last year, and 40 so far this year.

The fire service has reminded the public that arson is a criminal offence that can result in prosecution and affect future education and employment opportunities.

CDDFRS is urging parents to speak with their children about the dangers of starting fires and the potential consequences.

Working with Durham Constabulary, the service conducts regular patrols in hotspot areas in Bishop Auckland to deter arson and reassure the community.

Anyone with information about deliberate fires can report it anonymously to FireStoppers by calling 0800 169 5558 or visiting firestoppersreport.co.uk.