The number of deliberately started car fires must be addressed to have any hope of tackling arson, the Arson Prevention Bureau (APB) has warned.
Government figures released yesterday show that in 2000 car fires rose by 12% to 70,800. This rise was a major factor in incidents of arson increasing by 8% overall.
Local fire brigade initiatives and measures by the government's Arson Control Forum aim to tackle this problem. Measures include grants and research by the forum into the link between vehicle theft and deliberate vehicle fires.
Chief Executive of the APB Jane Milne said: "The sizeable grants given by the Arson Control Forum to fire brigades to fund specific regional vehicle fire-reduction initiatives signal government commitment to reducing this crime."
