In the year ending June 2024, Fire and Rescue Services responded to 594,384 incidents, marking a 4.5% decrease from the previous year's total of 622,086 incidents. During this period, there were 233 fire-related fatalities in 220 fatal fires, compared to 286 fatalities in 266 fatal fires the previous year.

Over the past decade, the number of primary fires—those considered most serious or posing a threat to life or property—has declined from 71,786 in the year ending June 2014 to 60,846 in the latest year, the lowest recorded since comparable data became available.

Primary fires made up 47% of all fires in the year ending June 2024, compared to 38% the previous year, 39% five years ago, and 45% ten years ago. The proportion of total fires accounted for by primary fires has fluctuated annually over the past decade, reaching its highest since the year ending June 2016, due to a greater decrease in the total number of fires compared to primary fires.

In the year ending June 2024, there were 38,189 building fires (including dwelling and other building fires), representing 6.4% of all incidents, 29% of all fires, and 63% of all primary fires. This distribution has remained consistent over the past decade; for instance, in the year ending June 2014, building fires constituted 9.2% of all incidents, 29% of all fires, and 66% of all primary fires.

The number of fire false alarms attended by Fire and Rescue Services in England had been generally decreasing, reaching a low of around 214,000 in the year ending June 2021. However, following a period of decreases around the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a gradual increase in fire false alarms, reaching approximately 256,000 in the year ending June 2024, the highest since the year ending June 2011.

*Statistics are sourced from the Home Office’s online Incident Recording System (IRS) and include statistics on all incidents, fire-related fatalities, casualties from fires and response times to fires. View further information.