3.1 When questioned, 61% of the brigades responding to the survey had noted a significant increase in the number of deliberate fires whereas 27% of respondents had not detected a rise in the number of incidents. One factor to be borne in mind when considering the increase reported must be the improved fire investigation techniques which have been developed over recent years and also the variations in the detail of data records by different brigades following a suspicious fire.

3.2 Brigades submitted various reasons why they believed there had been an increase in the number of deliberate fires. One widely held view was that the socio-economic climate had played a significant role in the rise of such incidents. Other brigades cited insurance fraud as a significant cause. A number of fire brigades reported the number of deliberate fires in schools as a significant factor in the increase of deliberate fires overall and cited the growing incidence of deliberate fires in vehicles.