Lancashire Combined Fire Authority
Performance Committee
Meeting to be held on 03 December 2025
Flooding Incident Activity – Ten Year Analysis (2014/15 – 2024/25)
Contact for further information – Sam Pink, Assistant Chief Fire Officer (ACFO)
Tel: 01772 866801
Executive Summary
There were 881 flooding-related special service incidents recorded between 1 April 2014 and 31 March 2025.
This paper provides an overview of the levels of activity, distribution and impacts of incidents attended.
Recommendation(s)
Performance Committee notes the analysis of flooding-related demand and the continued importance of effective planning, preparedness and response to severe weather events impacting on our communities. |
Information
This paper summarises special service incidents related to flooding recorded by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS), between 1 April 2014 and 31 March 2025. The analysis covers flooding due to surface water, rising river levels, high tide, or reservoir and the recorded causes (heavy rainfall, obstruction/blockage, structural failure). Incidents involving burst pipes, etc., are excluded. Fiscal years are used to align with seasonal effects and include the most recent 2025 data.
Over the first half of the analysis period, activity typically followed an alternating peak and trough pattern, however activity decreased notably during 2021/22 to 2022/23, and activity over the most recent two years has been static.
|
Flooding source |
2015/16 |
2016/17 |
2017/18 |
2018/19 |
2019/20 |
2020/21 |
2021/22 |
2022/23 |
2023/24 |
2024/25 |
Total |
|
Surface Water |
161 |
59 |
128 |
16 |
80 |
74 |
30 |
10 |
53 |
56 |
667 |
|
Rising River Level |
95 |
7 |
16 |
4 |
36 |
17 |
4 |
|
12 |
10 |
201 |
|
High Tide |
2 |
|
1 |
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
1 |
7 |
|
Reservoir |
1 |
|
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
6 |
|
Total |
259 |
66 |
148 |
21 |
116 |
92 |
34 |
10 |
68 |
67 |
881 |
Overall, the winter months account for 41.7%, autumn 31.1%, summer 24.1%, and with the lowest activity months being the spring season at 3.2%. However, incidents occurred most frequently in the individual months of December (26.1%) and November (18.8%), which combined, accounted for 44.9% of activity.
|
TABLE 2 |
||||||||||||
|
|
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
|
Activity |
6 |
6 |
76 |
63 |
73 |
35 |
73 |
166 |
230 |
62 |
75 |
16 |
|
% of total |
0.7% |
0.7% |
8.6% |
7.2% |
8.3% |
4.0% |
8.3% |
18.8% |
26.1% |
7.0% |
8.5% |
1.8% |
Table 3 shows the flooding related activity over the ten-year period broken down by the source of flooding.
|
TABLE 3 |
|
|
Whilst the source of a flooding incident may be due to surface water for example, the actual cause of the incident may be due to an event such as heavy rainfall, obstruction or blockage, or structural failure. For example, the large-scale flooding seen in the village of St Michaels on Wyre during Storm Desmond in December 2015 was due to rising river levels and a structural failure i.e. embankment. Structural failure is a relatively rare event and accounts for just 1.1% of the 881 incidents.
Overall, heavy rainfall accounted for 90.6% of the causes, with an obstruction or blockage accounting for just 7.5%. An obstruction or blockage could be caused by drainage issues (blocked roadside drains, culvert etc.).
Table 4 shows the source of the flooding and the cause of the event.
|
TABLE 4 |
|||||
|
Flooding source and cause |
Heavy Rainfall |
Obstruction/ Blockage |
Structural Failure |
Not recorded |
Total |
|
Surface Water |
601 |
60 |
6 |
|
667 |
|
Rising River Level |
194 |
4 |
3 |
|
201 |
|
High Tide |
|
|
|
7 |
7 |
|
Reservoir |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
6 |
|
Total |
798 |
66 |
10 |
7 |
881 |
|
% |
90.6% |
7.5% |
1.1% |
0.8% |
|
Table 5 shows that over the last 10-year period, Lancaster district accounted for the largest number of flooding incidents, recording 190 (21.6% of the total).
This is quite distantly followed by West Lancashire with 90 (10.2%) and 87 occurring in Wyre (9.9%).
The top four districts of Lancaster, West Lancashire, Wyre, and Rossendale account for almost 50% of the incidents. Lancaster district accounts for the largest amount of surface water, rising river levels, and high tide incidents. The high tide incidents are mainly around the Glasson Dock area. The five reservoir incidents within Chorley district are from an area north of Anglezarke reservoir.
|
District |
Surface Water |
Rising River Level |
High Tide |
Reservoir |
Total |
% of Total |
|
Lancaster |
117 |
70 |
3 |
|
190 |
21.6% |
|
West Lancashire |
84 |
6 |
|
|
90 |
10.2% |
|
Wyre |
67 |
19 |
1 |
|
87 |
9.9% |
|
Rossendale |
41 |
30 |
|
|
71 |
8.1% |
|
Ribble Valley |
45 |
16 |
|
61 |
6.9% |
|
|
Chorley |
38 |
13 |
|
5 |
56 |
6.4% |
|
Fylde |
52 |
2 |
|
|
54 |
6.1% |
|
Preston |
50 |
3 |
|
|
53 |
6.0% |
|
Blackpool |
47 |
|
|
1 |
48 |
5.4% |
|
South Ribble |
33 |
12 |
1 |
|
46 |
5.2% |
|
Pendle |
28 |
11 |
|
|
39 |
4.4% |
|
Burnley |
20 |
11 |
|
|
31 |
3.5% |
|
Hyndburn |
22 |
3 |
|
|
25 |
2.8% |
|
Blackburn With Darwen |
18 |
6 |
|
|
24 |
2.7% |
|
Out Of Area |
5 |
1 |
|
|
6 |
0.7% |
|
Total |
667 |
201 |
7 |
6 |
881 |
|
There are large variations of activity within each district between the years. For example, Table 6 shows that Lancaster recorded almost 50% (93 incidents) of its activity in 2015/16, with another peak in 2017/18 accounting for an additional 32%.
Overall, all districts but three have a decreasing trend, with only Blackburn with Darwen, Chorley, and Fylde recording a small increasing trend. During the most recent year only West Lancashire has recorded a notably greater number of incidents with 17. These are almost exclusively heavy rainfall related.
|
TABLE 6 |
|||||||||||
|
District |
2015/16 |
2016/17 |
2017/18 |
2018/19 |
2019/20 |
2020/21 |
2021/22 |
2022/23 |
2023/24 |
2024/25 |
Total |
|
Lancaster |
93 |
9 |
61 |
1 |
10 |
13 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
190 |
|
West Lancashire |
12 |
27 |
0 |
0 |
13 |
14 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
17 |
90 |
|
Wyre |
18 |
4 |
35 |
0 |
6 |
3 |
5 |
4 |
10 |
2 |
87 |
|
Rossendale |
19 |
0 |
9 |
1 |
25 |
6 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
10 |
71 |
|
Ribble Valley |
29 |
4 |
3 |
6 |
3 |
5 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
6 |
61 |
|
Chorley |
10 |
1 |
8 |
1 |
6 |
10 |
0 |
0 |
11 |
9 |
56 |
|
Fylde |
7 |
0 |
6 |
1 |
4 |
20 |
2 |
2 |
11 |
1 |
54 |
|
Preston |
12 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
9 |
6 |
11 |
0 |
7 |
2 |
53 |
|
Blackpool |
3 |
4 |
17 |
1 |
9 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
6 |
2 |
48 |
|
South Ribble |
19 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
9 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
6 |
46 |
|
Pendle |
19 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
8 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
39 |
|
Burnley |
7 |
7 |
1 |
2 |
7 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
31 |
|
Hyndburn |
9 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
25 |
|
Blackburn With Darwen |
2 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
2 |
24 |
|
Out Of Area |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
|
Total |
259 |
66 |
148 |
21 |
116 |
92 |
34 |
10 |
68 |
67 |
881 |
Flooding events can quickly affect many properties over a wide area, so in certain circumstances, spate conditions are declared. These conditions are when many calls are received simultaneously, for incidents not at the same address. This means that affected property counts can be recorded as estimates, or there is a single record for the original location/property, but the actual number affected is far greater. This may involve large numbers of properties in which the counts are only captured within free text narrative.
However, overall, there have been 8,708 recorded properties affected by flood water entry. This includes three separate incidents in 2017/18 in which a count of 500 properties at each incident were recorded.
Table 7 shows the number of incidents within each property count banding.
|
TABLE 7 |
||||||||||||
|
Properties affected |
2015/16 |
2016/17 |
2017/18 |
2018/19 |
2019/20 |
2020/21 |
2021/22 |
2022/23 |
2023/24 |
2024/25 |
Total |
% of Total |
|
None |
38 |
17 |
15 |
4 |
19 |
18 |
6 |
1 |
15 |
11 |
144 |
16.3% |
|
1 to 5 |
167 |
40 |
81 |
17 |
79 |
63 |
24 |
5 |
41 |
39 |
556 |
63.1% |
|
6 to 10 |
14 |
4 |
21 |
|
7 |
5 |
1 |
|
5 |
8 |
65 |
7.4% |
|
11 to 20 |
14 |
5 |
9 |
|
5 |
5 |
|
|
3 |
5 |
46 |
5.2% |
|
21 to 30 |
4 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
1 |
|
2 |
|
|
9 |
1.0% |
|
31 to 40 |
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
4 |
0.5% |
|
50 to 99 |
4 |
|
7 |
|
1 |
|
3 |
|
|
2 |
17 |
1.9% |
|
100+ |
12 |
|
9 |
|
3 |
|
|
2 |
1 |
|
27 |
3.1% |
|
Unknown |
6 |
|
3 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
3 |
|
13 |
1.5% |
|
Total |
259 |
66 |
148 |
21 |
116 |
92 |
34 |
10 |
68 |
67 |
881 |
|
Spate conditions can also affect the recording of casualties, rescues, and evacuations, so these can sometimes be estimates, especially where large numbers of people are not directly evacuated by the Fire Service.
The table below shows a count of incidents against the number of people evacuated with the assistance of the Fire Service. For example, there was a single incident during 2015/16 in which 50 people were evacuated.
|
TABLE 8 |
|||||||||||
|
Evacuated with |
2015/16 |
2016/17 |
2017/18 |
2018/19 |
2019/20 |
2020/21 |
2021/22 |
2022/23 |
2023/24 |
2024/25 |
Total |
|
1 |
4 |
|
4 |
|
3 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
12 |
|
2 |
1 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
|
3 |
2 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
3 |
|
4 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
2 |
|
5 |
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
6 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
7 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
8 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
10 |
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
12 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
15 |
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
16 |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
50 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
Total |
11 |
1 |
8 |
0 |
5 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
29 |
Table 9 records a count of incidents against the number of people evacuated without the assistance of the Fire Service. There was a single incident during 2017/18 in which 100 people were evacuated.
|
TABLE 9 |
|||||||||||
|
Evacuated
without |
2015/16 |
2016/17 |
2017/18 |
2018/19 |
2019/20 |
2020/21 |
2021/22 |
2022/23 |
2023/24 |
2024/25 |
Total |
|
1 |
2 |
|
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
5 |
|
2 |
1 |
|
1 |
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
4 |
|
3 |
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
4 |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
5 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
6 |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
8 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
10 |
2 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
|
20 |
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
3 |
|
21 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
25 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
30 |
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
50 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
100 |
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
Total |
10 |
2 |
4 |
1 |
4 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
26 |
The tables below show where casualty details have been recorded. These people have been either rescued without an injury or have a recorded injury. Note that these differ from the previous evacuations in which no rescue was required, or no injury occurred.
|
TABLE 10 |
|||||||||||
|
Casualty status |
2015/16 |
2016/17 |
2017/18 |
2018/19 |
2019/20 |
2020/21 |
2021/22 |
2022/23 |
2023/24 |
2024/25 |
Total |
|
Rescued (rescue without injury) |
23 |
1 |
19 |
|
4 |
4 |
4 |
|
14 |
20 |
89 |
|
Injury (incl. rescue with injury) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
2 |
5 |
|
Total |
23 |
1 |
19 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
0 |
17 |
22 |
94 |
In addition to the above, there is an incident type which may be used as an alternate to, but related to flooding, such as a rescue or evacuation from water. An additional section has been added to the end of this report to account for this alternative.
Ten-year heat map of flooding incidents.
|
TABLE 11 |
|
|
There is an additional incident classification that, whilst not recorded as a flooding incident, is related to the effects of flooding: ‘Rescue or evacuation from water’. These are where people have been rescued/assisted by the Fire Service from a vehicle or a location/property surrounded by water. An example would be when a vehicle has entered floodwater and become stranded.
Over the ten-year period, there have been 115 such rescues/evacuations.
|
TABLE 12 |
|||||||||||
|
|
2015/16 |
2016/17 |
2017/18 |
2018/19 |
2019/20 |
2020/21 |
2021/22 |
2022/23 |
2023/24 |
2024/25 |
Total |
|
Person in or on top of vehicle that is surrounded by moving or rising water greater than (2) foot deep |
17 |
2 |
9 |
2 |
8 |
10 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
14 |
68 |
|
From widespread flooding, e.g. flooded streets or field. |
5 |
|
|
2 |
2 |
|
2 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
18 |
|
Person assisted through or across public highway covered by water |
3 |
|
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
16 |
|
Person assisted from dwelling surrounded by water |
7 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
2 |
|
|
11 |
|
Person in or on top of buildings that is surrounded by moving or rising water that will exceed head height or cause structural collapse |
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
Total |
34 |
3 |
10 |
5 |
12 |
12 |
6 |
5 |
7 |
21 |
115 |
Business risk
Without sustained capability for a response to severe weather incidents, there is a risk of reduced operational effectiveness during spate conditions, this may impact public safety, increase operational demand on neighbouring Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) partners, and expose the Authority to reputational risk.
Sustainability or Environmental Impact
Neutral/positive. Investment in severe weather response capabilities mitigates environmental harm by limiting water damage and contamination spread during floods or wildfires. Any equipment procurement will consider lifecycle impacts and energy efficiency.
Equality and Diversity Implications
Flooding disproportionately affects vulnerable communities (e.g. older and disabled residents, and low‑income households in high‑risk areas). Response planning and public warning/informing should continue to account for accessibility and targeted engagement.
Data Protection (GDPR)
Will the proposal(s) involve the processing of personal data? No. The analysis uses aggregated incident data; no personally identifiable information is included.
HR implications
None identified
Financial implications
None identified as part of this paper.
Legal implications
Proposals align with duties under the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 (rescue and protection) and the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (warn and inform). No direct legal implications arise from noting this report.
Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985
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Reason for inclusion in Part 2 if appropriate: Insert Exemption Clause