Download PDF: Issue 54 - New Zealand Fire Service

Arson
Damping down arson
Around quarter of a billion dollars worth of property has been lost to arson in
New Zealand over the past seven years.
Each year, police investigate more than 2,000 arson offences (2654 in 2008),
three quarters of which are carried out by people under the age of 21.
Around six per cent of all structure fires are started by arsonists.
Deliberately lit fires cause millions of dollars worth of
damage to homes, schools and businesses each year.
The Fire Service is working with Police and other
government and community agencies on a joint response
to this threat to our community.
In mid November, the Fire Service hosted the first
National Arson Reduction Forum to promote improved
coordination and collaboration of arson reduction
initiatives in our communities. Those attending the
Wellington meeting included representatives from
Police, Fire, Ministry of Education, insurers, psychologists
and others.
4 Issue No. 54
Issues that were discussed included domestic arson fraud,
the costs of arson, offender profiling, improved intelligence
systems and how to work together to prevent arson and
catch those who deliberately light fires.
Peter Wilding, Fire Service Manager of Fire Investigation
and Arson Reduction, says “New Zealand leads the world
in terms of its work with child firelighters. However our
national arson statistics shows there’s still a lot of work
to do”.
Peter has studied arson reduction efforts internationally
and says “There is overwhelming evidence to indicate